The Delhi government has cancelled its plan to buy two luxury air-conditioned boats meant for VIPs and VVIPs. The project was estimated to cost ₹6.2 crore.

Minister Parvesh Verma confirmed the decision on Thursday. He also said that two senior officials linked to the process have been suspended.

Tender Cancelled, Officials Suspended

Verma, who handles the Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) department, said the tender process has been scrapped.

“We have cancelled the tender for the boats and we are investigating the issue. The executive engineer and assistant engineer concerned have also been suspended for issuing the tenders without prior information,” Verma said.

The action came shortly after reports highlighted the plan. Following this, the minister ordered a detailed inquiry into how and why the tender was issued.

Future Purchases Limited to Essential Work

The minister’s office said that any future purchase of boats will be restricted to essential departmental needs. These include activities like surveillance, pollution monitoring, and other operational work related to river management.

Luxury Features in Proposed Boats

According to the earlier tender, the government planned to buy two high-end boats. Each boat could carry 16 to 20 people. The boats were to include several premium features. These included “cassette-type rooftop marine air conditioners,” “customized business class push-back VIP seats” and “a dedicated pantry for serving food”.

They were also designed with an open rear deck. This area would have sofa seating for public appearances by VIPs.

“The boat to have an open rear deck area for VIPs public appearance. VIP sofa-type seating to be fitted in this area for 3 to 4 persons,” the document stated.

The interiors were also planned to be high-end. They included “customized business-class type seats made of vegan leather with exquisite stitching, integrated hand rests with wooden finish, bottle holders, and a premium aesthetic look with concealed LED and ambient lighting.”

Opposition Criticises Plan

The proposal faced strong criticism from opposition parties like the Aam Aadmi Party and the Indian National Congress. They called the plan a misuse of public money. They also said it showed wrong priorities at a time when funds should be used for essential needs.

Tender Timeline and Cancellation

The I&FC department had earlier issued a corrigendum on March 18. It extended the bidding deadline due to “administrative reason.” Initially, the bid process was supposed to end on March 18. Later, it was extended to March 27. However, the government has now cancelled it completely.

Focus Remains on Yamuna Clean-Up

The BJP-led Delhi government is focusing on cleaning the Yamuna River. This remains one of its key projects.

A small stretch of the river carries most of the pollution load. Around 48 km from Palla to Badarpur, and a 26 km stretch from Wazirabad to Asgarpur Village, together account for the majority of pollution, even though they make up less than 2% of the river’s total length.