Delhiites to enjoy hot-air balloon rides from Sat: DDA

NEW DELHI: Come this weekend, Delhiites could get to experience hot-air balloon rides as the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) launched a trial run at Baansera on Tuesday.

The facility will be open for public from Saturday, and the ticket will be Rs 3,000 per person excluding taxes, Lt Governor VK Saxena told reporters.

“Earlier I had promised people of Delhi that we will keep on introducing new things for entertainment. Many parks and recreational spaces have been developed recently, adding to that is the hot-air balloon facility for which a trial run was launched today,” he said.

In July, the DDA finalised a private agency to conduct hot air balloon rides at four locations -- the Yamuna Sports Complex, the Commonwealth Games sports complexes, and two other sites along the Yamuna Bank at Asita and Baansera near Sarai Kale Khan area. “Tethered flights will be permitted for four hours daily. However, DDA may extend it as per requirements. The peak season for ballooning in North India, spanning November to February, offers ideal weather conditions, and public rides are set to open soon,” DDA said in a statement.

The trips would range from 7 to 12 minutes, with each ride having a holding capacity of four people, officials added.

“I tested the ride, and I am happy and satisfied. From a safety point of view, four ropes are tied to the balloon, with each rope having a capacity of seven tonnes. Today we went to a height of 120 feet from the ground,” Saxena added.

Once fully launched at the other three locations, these rides will offer residents and visitors a unique aerial view of Delhi’s natural landscape, riverfront, and cityscape, significantly augmenting the city’s tourism potential.