Yamuna’s Murky Voyage: Are We Crafting an Eco-Tourism Model That Works

On March 11, 2025, the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with multiple Delhi government agencies, including the Irrigation and Flood Control Department, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), and the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC). This MoU aims to develop and promote cruise tourism along a four-kilometer stretch of the Yamuna River (National Waterway 110 since 2016) between Sonia Vihar and Jagatpur.

The initiative, apart from bolstering inland water transport (IWT), is being positioned as a  transformative step for Delhi’s tourism sector, offering eco-friendly travel experiences bringing people closer to a new imagination of clean yamuna. However, beneath the rhetoric of rejuvenation and sustainability lies a series of critical concerns regarding water availability, pollution, and environmental sustainability.

Fisherfolks on Yamuna river near Soniya Vihar, Delhi. Photo: Avli Verma, December 2019

A River of Uncertainties

The Yamuna River, from Jagatpur in Delhi to its confluence with the Ganges at Prayagraj, was declared National Waterway-110 in 2016. While the proposed river cruise would operate on a mere 4 km stretch upstream of the Wazirabad barrage—where adequate water levels are typically maintained—it remains unclear whether water depth will be consistently sufficient given seasonal fluctuations and increasing pressure on Yamuna’s resources. Notably, news reports from the past year have indicated alarmingly low water levels even at Wazirabad.

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, at the signing event, remarked, “For years, the people of Delhi were saddened to see dirt and neglect floating on the Yamuna, but this initiative marks the beginning of a long-overdue correction.” The prospect of reconnecting Delhiites with the river is commendable. The river quality could also be relatively better in this stretch as the Najafgarh drain-the major source of pollution in the river in Delhi - meets the Yamuna just downstream of this stretch. However, as recently as March 6, 2025, news reports highlighted dangerously high ammonia levels in the river. Any tourism activity, especially one marketed as eco-friendly, requires a clean river; otherwise, it risks becoming a public health hazard.

Infrastructure and Environmental Impact

The proposed cruise will feature electric-solar hybrid boats with capacities of 20-30 passengers, equipped with bio-toilets and life jackets. However, the claim of minimal environmental impact requires more probing. The MoU explicitly mentions the development of ticketing systems, parking areas, food courts, green belts, and kiosks—construction that would take place on Yamuna’s already constricted floodplains. These modifications raise concerns about flood vulnerability, and additional strain on the river’s ecosystem.

A Revival or a Repetition?

This is not the first time the Yamuna river has been explored for commercial use of navigation and tourism. In 2015, the IWAI proposed a water taxi service from Sonia Vihar to Tronica City, covering 16 km. However, the plan largely remained on paper due to feasibility concerns. In 2021, the Delhi government outright rejected the proposal citing severe pollution and inadequate water levels. 

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has been approached in the past, requiring prior environmental approvals for any infrastructure projects on Yamuna’s floodplains.Legal proceedings in November 2024 in the NGT have revealed the existence of an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) report for the earlier water taxi project, prepared by Ultra Tech Limited in 2018 which covers this stretch of the river too. However, this report has never been made publicly available. Similarly, IWAI’s cost-benefit analysis for the  project remains undisclosed. While IWAI has claimed to have obtained clearance from the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, no official documents are accessible in the public domain so far. Transparency regarding such assessments is crucial for public scrutiny and establishing accountability.According to the same proceeding in the NGT, the Yamuna falls under the jurisdiction of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) under the River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection, and Management) Authorities Order, 2016. Any development on the river requires NMCG approval, yet there is no clarity on whether such a clearance has been sought.

The Need for Participatory Planning

Despite official claims of sustainability and media disclosures, the project appears to lack a participatory framework that includes those most affected—riverine communities, fisherfolk, floodplain farmers, and divers who have an intimate understanding of the river’s dynamics. While the initiative aims to benefit locals through a community jetty framework, a truly sustainable river cruise model would require integrating their knowledge and addressing their concerns. Had the ESIA reports been made publicly available, one could better understand who inhabits the river and is part of the river ecosystem, what kind of consultations were undertaken, when they occurred, and what concerns and benefits were identified by the locals. Meaningful consultations with these communities are essential, and making all relevant project documents—such as ESIA reports, cost-benefit analyses, monitoring reports, and approval clearances—publicly accessible would contribute to a more transparent and eco-sensitive model for tourism on the Yamuna.

Conclusion: A Step Forward or a Missed Opportunity?

While the Yamuna River Cruise presents an opportunity to reimagine river-based tourism, its success hinges on environmental integrity, transparency, and community participation. Without these, the initiative risks becoming yet another infrastructure-heavy project that exacerbates rather than alleviates the river’s ecological crisis. If this project is to be a model of sustainability, it must begin by genuinely prioritizing the health of the river over commercial ambitions.