New Delhi [India], November 9 (ANI): Delhi is set to add a new attraction to its tourism landscape with the launch of a recreational river cruise service along the Yamuna. Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister
of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, in the presence of Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Chief Minister of Delhi, Rekha Gupta, will inaugurate the service tomorrow at Sonia Vihar. Developed along the Sonia Vihar-Jagatpur stretch of the river, the initiative aims to promote river-based tourism and offer visitors a new recreational experience in the national capital. The inauguration ceremony will witness the presence of Shantanu Thakur, Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways; Harsh Malhotra, Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways. Delhi Government Ministers, including Parvesh Sahib Singh, Minister for Public Works Department and Irrigation and Flood Control, and Kapil Mishra, Tourism Minister, will also attend the event. According to the Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), “The River Yamuna has been designated as National Waterway-110 under the National Waterways Act, 2016. The development of the recreational river cruise service along the Sonia Vihar-Jagatpur stretch of the Yamuna river in Delhi marks an important step towards harnessing the potential of this National Waterway for recreational navigation and river-based tourism. Ahead of the launch, trial runs of the cruise vessel were successfully conducted last month in the presence of senior officials from IWAI and the Delhi Government.” “Spearheaded by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Government of India, the initiative reflects the Authority’s commitment to promoting sustainable inland water transport and developing waterways as an integral component of urban mobility and tourism infrastructure,” the Ministry added. It further stated that the initiative is expected to offer Delhi residents and tourists a unique experience while fostering greater public engagement with the Yamuna. The use of electric-powered cruise vessels will also demonstrate the potential of inland waterways in promoting clean and sustainable mobility, while adding a new recreational attraction to the National Capital Region. The Recreational Yamuna River Cruise Service is being developed by the IWAI, under the MoPSW, in collaboration with the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC), Delhi Jal Board (DJB), and the Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Government of Delhi. (ANI)
