New Delhi: Can you visualise boats sailing on the almost dead Yamuna river in Delhi? The Narendra Modi government is exploring the possibility of making the river - and possibly other rivers as well - navigable to transport people and goods.
Roads and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari had called a meeting of Delhi government officials on the issue and sought their opinion on it, a top government official said.
The newly-elected BJP-led government is planning to create a national waterway grid by linking major rivers in the country to ferry people and goods.
“Minister Gadkari asked us whether Yamuna river can be made navigable. He has asked us to come up with suggestions to make it possible,” another Delhi government official told IANS, requesting anonymity.
Sources in the government said top officials of Delhi government's environment department, Delhi Jal Board and Irrigation and Flood department were present at the meeting.
"We will have to study the feasibility of the project. There will be a meeting with the minister on this issue soon. We have already apprised him of the current status of the river,” said another official.
However, environmentalists find the idea as "not well placed”.
“The idea of rejuvenating Yamuna for navigation is not well placed. The Yamuna river has never had appreciable water during the lean season,” said Manoj Mishra, convener of Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan.
“It is to be seen whether they construct a water barrage and then make Yamuna navigable. But then it will not be Yamuna but a canal,” Mishra told IANS.
