Delhi Set to Get Its First Recreational Yamuna Cruise Service

PIB National (English) · Published 9 November 2026 · Last updated 9 November 2026

Delhi will launch its first electric‑powered recreational Yamuna cruise, marking the operationalisation of National Waterway‑110 for tourism.

Key points

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal will inaugurate the Recreational Yamuna River Cruise Service on 10 Nov 2026 at Sonia Vihar.
The cruise runs along the Sonia Vihar‑Jagatpur stretch, a segment of National Waterway‑110 designated under the National Waterways Act, 2016.
The project is spearheaded by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, in partnership with Delhi Development Authority, Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation, Delhi Jal Board, and the Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Government of Delhi.
Electric‑powered vessels will be used, showcasing clean‑energy mobility on inland waterways.
Trial runs were successfully completed in October 2026 in the presence of senior IWAI and Delhi officials.
Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shantanu Thakur and Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Harsh Malhotra attended the inauguration ceremony.
Delhi Government ministers Parvesh Sahib Singh (Public Works & Irrigation) and Kapil Mishra (Tourism) were present, underscoring state‑central collaboration.
The initiative aims to boost river‑based tourism, public engagement with the Yamuna, and integrate waterways into Delhi’s urban mobility framework.

The Yamuna was declared National Waterway‑110 in 2016, enabling central funding and regulatory oversight for navigation and tourism projects.
Since 2016, IWAI has developed pilot projects on other national waterways, but Delhi had no recreational river service until this 2026 launch.
The National Waterways Act, 2016 provides the legal basis for designating rivers as national waterways and for the development of infrastructure and services.
Previous attempts to clean the Yamuna focused on pollution control; this cruise adds a tourism‑oriented dimension to the waterway’s utilisation.
The Delhi Development Authority and Delhi Jal Board have been involved in riverfront development and water quality management since the early 2000s.

UPSC relevance, Prelims facts and Mains angle for this issue are in the full SWAदेSH note.