Delhi is rolling out a cruise service on the Yamuna before the Chhath festival, but the river's water quality remains a ticking time bomb. Monitoring stations across the capital have logged biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) levels that far exceed the 3 mg/l safe standard, with spikes up to 70 mg/l recorded in July 2025.
At the river's entry point in Palla, BOD stays within safe limits at 2 mg/l, but it shoots up to 30 mg/l by the Inter‑State Bus Terminal Bridge and remains elevated downstream near ITO Bridge, Nizamuddin Bridge, Okhla Barrage and Asgarpur.
Bacterial contamination mirrors the BOD trend. Faecal coliform counts rise from around 1,100–1,300 MPN per 100 ml at Palla and Wazirabad to 35,000 at the bus terminal bridge, 17,000 at ITO Bridge, and 38,000 at Asgarpur—well beyond the 2,500 MPN threshold.
The DPCC says the cruise plan is part of a broader effort to boost river‑front tourism, but officials will conduct a health‑and‑safety review before the first passenger launch. The review will focus on disinfection protocols and real‑time water testing to ensure compliance with national health guidelines.
Local residents near Okhla Barrage have expressed concern that the cruise could expose them to untreated water, while tourism promoters hope the service will shift the narrative around the Yamuna's commercial potential.