The Delhi government's ambitious plan to launch a ferry service on the Yamuna River has hit a roadblock due to the river's low water levels. The cruise boat, which is fully ready for service, is currently unable to navigate the dry stretch of the river.
An official associated with the service revealed that the boat can only move a few hundred meters, making it impossible to launch the proposed one-hour boat ride over a 5km route.
The service was earlier supposed to be launched in February, but it has been delayed multiple times. The latest announcement by the Union minister for ports, shipping, and waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, stated that the service would be launched in May, but it has yet to materialize.
Experts have criticized the plan, saying that the rejuvenation of the river should be the top priority, and eco-tourism and water sports should only come later. The river is struggling to get a basic minimum environmental flow, with barely 350 cusecs of water being released from the Hathinikund, while the river needs at least 1500 cusecs of water.
The project has been plagued by feasibility concerns, with a similar plan to run a water taxi service in the stretch failing in the past. The Delhi government had earlier announced a cruise service on the Yamuna as part of its river rejuvenation and tourism development plan, but it seems that the project is unlikely to take off anytime soon.
