Delhi Launches First Yamuna River Cruise Service: Route, National Waterway-110 and Key Details

Delhi will be starting its first river cruise for recreation on the Yamuna River on 10th November 2026. This is a new addition to the tourist attractions available in the capital. This will be run on the Sonia Vihar to Jagatpur stretch of the Yamuna River by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways along with the Delhi Government and agencies.

Namo Yamuna River Safari Details

This river cruise will be launched by Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, alongside Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.

This river cruise will run on the Yamuna River from Sonia Vihar to Jagatpur. This will help provide recreational opportunities for locals and tourists and showcase the potential of using waterways.

Yamuna River Cruise

This recreational river cruise will run on the stretch of the Yamuna River between Sonia Vihar and Jagatpur in Delhi. The aim of this project will be to provide recreational navigation opportunities on a portion of the river.

The cruise will run for ~6- 7 km round trip. Trial runs of the cruise vessel were held in October 2026 with officials from IWAI and the Government of Delhi.

The river cruise will use electric-powered vessels to show the potential of using the inland waterways for cleaner transport.

The media have reported that the distance traveled during the cruise will be a 5- 6 km journey that will last around 35-45minutes.

What is National Waterway-110?

The Yamuna river has been designated as National Waterway-110 (NW-110) under the National Waterways Act 2016.

• River: Yamuna
• National Waterway Number: 110
• Distance: ~1080 km
• From: Jagatpur, Delhi to Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh

This will help to develop the inland waterways. This project aims to showcase the potential of using a portion of this waterway for recreational navigation.

What Agencies are involved in developing the Yamuna river cruise?

This project is lead by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.

This project is being developed alongside;

Agency & It’s Role

• Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI): Lead implementing agency
• Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways: Nodal Ministry
• Delhi Development Authority (DDA): Partner
• Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC): Partner
• Delhi Jal Board (DJB): Partner
• Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Delhi: Partner

This project is part of trying to develop the inland waterways.

Why is this project important?

River tourism – This provides a new tourist attraction in Delhi and will provide an opportunity for tourists to experience the city from the river.

Sustainable transport – The electric-powered vessels provide the potential for cleaner transport on the inland waterways.

Use of National Waterways – This project helps to show the potential of using National Waterway 110 for recreational navigation.

Increased public engagement – This is expected to create more engagement with the Yamuna river.

Urban Infrastructure – This is part of initiatives to include waterways in tourism and urban mobility.

Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI)

The Inland Waterways Authority of India is the statutory body responsible for the development and regulation of inland waterways for shipping.

• Acronym: IWAI
• Established: 1986
• Ministry: Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways
• Headquarters: Noida, Uttar Pradesh
• Main Role: Develop and regulate inland waterways for navigation.

This project showcases the work that the IWAI do to develop opportunities for passenger transport and tourism using the National Waterways of India.