IWAI has approved Rs 7.55 crore for the water taxi project from Tronica City to Sonia Vihar
Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has approved Rs 7.55 crore for the water taxi project for a pilot ferry service in Yamuna will start after the monsoon and regular services are set to begin by this year end. IWAI officials told shipping minister Nitin Gadkari that no construction will be carried out for jetties as per the direction of the National Green Tribunal (NGT). Though it will be limited to only a few kilometers stretch from Trans Delhi Signature City (Tronica City) in Ghaziabad to Sonia Vihar in Delhi, this service is likely to emerge as a major tourist attraction.
A senior official of the ministry told that work is ongoing and the process for running water taxis has been started. If everything goes according to plan, then in the second half of this year, Delhiites will get another mode of transport. official said that in the beginning, three vessels (water taxis), two 25-seater boat and one 40-seater boat will start in the first phase. It had also suggested that the passenger vessels plying on the river can work as a feeder service to major Metro stations from the river front such as at Kashmere Gate and Indraprastha. Both the stations are located close to the Yamuna. As per the initial plan taxis will run on an 8.5-km stretch, from Tronica City (Delhi-Ghaziabad border) to Jagat pur (north-east Delhi).
Lok Sabha member from Northeast Delhi and BJP’s city unit president Mr Manoj Tiwari inspected the water route for water taxi from Sonia Vihar Zero Pushta to Tronica City. He was joined by officials from the district administration, irrigation and flood control department. Local MP Mr Tiwari claimed that the facilities will provide a boost to tourism in Delhi. The inspection was done on the direction of Union minister Nitin Gadkari.
After the feasibility study, it was found that the stretch is suitable for the implementation of one of the priority projects of road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari. If the plan is implemented successfully, the authorities are optimistic that it will pave the way for introduction of more water recreational activities or sports in Delhi and the Centre’s ambitious Delhi-Agra steamer service through Agra Canal project.
