New Delhi: A Rs 20-crore Yamuna cruise project is expected to set sail in Delhi soon, but it’s already churning up debate over whether it will be the promised luxury ride or a tour of garbage mounds and foamy water.
An initiative of the Delhi government, the project will introduce recreational cruises and ferry services, offering residents and visitors a chance to see the Yamuna from the water for the first time in decades. The 40-seater vessel will run between Sonia Vihar and Jagatpur, a picturesque segment of the river, with one-hour rides featuring music and refreshments.
A ‘Titanic pose’ spot has been created on the upper deck, where couples can recreate the iconic movie scene and click pictures. The river corridor is being developed with support from the Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
The project is being pitched as a boost to green mobility and river-based tourism.
“Eco-friendly cruise tourism on the Yamuna is a major milestone, paving the way for cleaner, greener and more efficient water transport that will boost connectivity and tourism in the heart of Delhi,” said Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, in November 2025 while introducing the initiative.
“We are going to start a cruise on the Yamuna, most probably, sometime in February,” Delhi Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra said last month, adding that the Chief Minister would inaugurate it.
However, the project has also been met with questions. Environmental activist Diwan Singh called it an attempt to mislead the public about the Yamuna’s worsening pollution.
“It is a plan to brainwash people into believing that everything is fine with the Yamuna,” said Singh. “They are operating it on an artificial 7-8 kilometre stretch where the water appears cleaner. It’s more of a showcasing exercise, an attempt to reshape public perception about the Yamuna. They are hiding what lies beneath.”
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Made in India
The cruise that will soon ply the Yamuna has been built entirely in India under the “Make in India” push.
The vessel was constructed by Inspiration Marine Pvt Ltd, a Mumbai-based shipbuilder.
“The Island Boats 40 is a 40-foot river cruiser. Inspiration Marine has been supplying boats of international standards to the Indian boating industry for the last 20 years,” said Rajesh Desai, founder and managing director of Inspiration Marine, in an interview with Hindustan Times earlier this month.
It was transported from Mumbai to the national capital ahead of its launch, with Mishra saying last month that it would offer a luxury yet affordable experience to Delhi residents.
Officials have said the project includes eco-friendly features and a projected lifespan of around 20 years as part of the Yamuna rejuvenation plan.
Sonowal has said developing the Yamuna as a transport corridor would open a new chapter for Delhi, and contribute to ease of movement and economic growth.
“Beyond enabling cleaner modes of travel, this project will enhance the experience of residents and tourists alike by adding a unique river-cruise dimension to the capital’s tourism landscape,” he added.
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‘Dystopia tour’
As news of the cruise spread, scepticism surfaced on social media, with many arguing that the Yamuna should be cleaned before it is marketed as a leisure ride.
On X, @paraschopra warned that the ride had the makings of a “dystopia tour”, while another commenter added that the experience might require “industrial respirators” for tourists.
There’s a legit opportunity to start a dystopia tour in Delhi.
Begin with a tour of the garbage mountain, then a cruise on the foamy Yamuna. After that ask for a deep breath in a park & then challenge them to cross a road as a pedestrian + have them hire a car to honk endlessly.
— Paras Chopra (@paraschopra) January 23, 2026
“These fellows must be questioned. They can run it on any nala as well”, said another post on X.
On Instagram, one user described cruising on the Yamuna as “a fully body and soul wrenching sensory experience no one ever asked for. Nose-plug mandatory.”
Others struck a more hopeful note, making comparisons with the Thames and the Seine.
“If the river gets cleaned enough, then yes. Thames also used to smell, be filled with sewage and was biologically dead in the 1960s. They then worked on it and cleaned it to the level it is today. Same with Seine in France,” one Instagram comment said.
(Edited by Asavari Singh)