Delhi is preparing to add a splash of colour and altitude to its urban landscape. In a first-of-its-kind move, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has roped in a private agency to operate tethered hot-air balloon rides from four prominent locations across the city.
Delhi To Launch Its First-Of-Kind Experience: Hot-Air Balloons
According to Hindustan Times, the service is expected to take off within the next two months, transforming familiar stretches of the capital into launchpads for a new kind of recreational experience.
The chosen sites include the Yamuna Sports Complex, the Commonwealth Games Sports Complex, and two reclaimed green zones along the Yamuna floodplains, namely Asita and Baansera. Each location will be allocated 3,600 square metres for balloon operations, with rides initially restricted to four hours per day. This window may be extended depending on demand and operational feasibility.
Unlike free-floating flights that drift with the wind, tethered balloons remain anchored to the ground via high-tensile ropes, allowing for controlled ascents and descents. The concept isn’t new to India as Pushkar, Jaipur, Hampi, and Agra have long offered hot-air ballooning as part of their tourism portfolio. This marks Delhi’s entry into the scene, and underlines a notable shift in how urban space is being reimagined.
Officials confirmed that ride specifics, including duration, height, fares, and age eligibility, are still under deliberation. Children below a particular age and seniors above a certain limit may not be permitted, keeping in mind the safety parameters set by aviation authorities. Ticket pricing will be finalised by the DDA, and all revenues will be routed through the DDA’s account to ensure fiscal transparency.
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Hot Air Balloon Ride: Everything You Need To Know
The selected operator has been granted a three-year license, extendable up to nine years, as per directives from the Lieutenant Governor’s office. The agency will manage ticketing, staffing, marketing, and customer interface, while also ensuring full compliance with aviation and environmental safety norms. Certified pilots and trained ground crews will be deployed, and operations will be carried out under oversight from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
This initiative is part of a broader rehabilitation effort around the Yamuna. Over the past few years, the DDA has undertaken significant ecological interventions. Starting from Asita, which was once an encroached floodplain, has been transformed into a walkable green expanse. Sarai Kale Khan’s defunct dumping yard has been reimagined as Baansera and a bamboo park planted with 30,000 bamboos and dotted with water bodies and a fountain, as stated by Hindustan Times.
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While Delhi may not have the hillscape of Lonavala or the open skies of Hampi, it is increasingly making room for new kinds of adventure. And come October, as balloons rise along the Yamuna, Delhiites may finally get a chance to see their city from a perspective previously reserved for postcards and drone shots.
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