JAMMU, January 28, 2026 : Jammu witnessed a vibrant and festive atmosphere on Wednesday evening as a two-day Boat Festival kicked off at the newly developed Tawi Riverfront, marking the much-awaited activation of the artificial lake and drawing large crowds of enthusiastic residents.
Organised to showcase the Tawi Riverfront as a modern urban leisure and tourism destination, the festival offered free boating rides, live performances by music bands, and family-friendly activities. Women, children, and youth thronged the riverfront, celebrating what many described as a historic moment for the city.
The Tawi Riverfront is a flagship project of Jammu Smart City Limited (JSCL), aimed at transforming the riverbanks by integrating flood management with recreational, commercial, and tourism infrastructure. The project was originally launched in 2009 by the then Congress–National Conference government, with its foundation stone laid by former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on December 5, 2009. However, the project faced repeated delays over the years, missing nearly a dozen deadlines, officials acknowledged.
Despite the setbacks, the revival of the riverfront has been made possible after the government invested crores of rupees over the past decade to bring the project to completion.
The first-ever boat festival in Jammu began at 3:30 pm and continued for nearly three hours. Several senior officials attended the event, including Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar, CEO JSCL Devansh Yadav, Deputy Commissioner Jammu Rakesh Minhas, SSP Jammu Joginder Singh, and BJP legislator Yudhvir Sethi.
Speaking on the occasion, JSCL CEO Devansh Yadav said the two-day festival is being conducted as a trial run.
“After receiving inputs from stakeholders, including the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), efforts will be made to make boating a permanent feature by involving the private sector,” he said.
At present, all boating activities are being managed in-house in coordination with the SDRF to ensure safety. Yadav added that in the future, operations would be handed over to professional private operators to allow daily public access.
He further explained that the barrage has a spillover mechanism to manage excess water, while a basic pondage of three to four metres will be maintained for boating.
“From March onwards, the barrage will become a permanent feature, and several adventure and tourism-related activities will be promoted in the area,” he added.
To strengthen local tourism and employment, JSCL plans to encourage tour operators and local youth by granting permissions for boating and adventure sports. The authority has also invited local music bands and is promoting authentic Dogri cuisine to enhance the cultural appeal of the riverfront.
“People should come, witness the beauty of Suryaputri Tawi, spend quality time with their families, and help make this riverfront a go-to destination in the coming days,” Yadav said.
Visitors expressed happiness and relief over the long-awaited completion of the project.
“Today is a great day for Jammu. The dream of boating in River Tawi has finally come true,” said Tarun Kumar, a local resident. He added that pilgrims visiting Mata Vaishno Devi, Raghunath Mandir, and other revered shrines now have another reason to extend their stay in the city, which will benefit the local economy.
The boat festival has been widely seen as a milestone in Jammu’s urban rejuvenation journey and a major boost to its tourism potential.
