Delhi puts hot-air balloon rides on hold on weekdays

Officials of the DDA, which runs the project, said that since the launch, the balloons have taken to air only for four hours over the two weekends

New Delhi

Currently, rides are being held between 4pm and 6pm on weekends. (Arvind Yadav/HT Photo)

Hot-air ballooning in Delhi, after a much-publicised and enthusiastic start, seems to have lost its sheen as decreasing footfall on weekdays has led to the authorities currently restricting operations to weekends, a spot check by HT found.

Officials of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), which runs the project, said that since the launch, the balloons have taken to air only for four hours over the two weekends. There was also no balloon ride on the first weekend after its launch on November 29, as the Baansera Park was booked for the Jashn-e-Rekhta cultural festival.

“There are hardly four or five people during the weekdays, so we are operating the ride only on weekends for now,” said Vinod Baharee, who manages hot-air balloon operations at the site for Air Safari, the company that runs it.

He said that 12 to 15 people turned up last weekend, allowing operators to conduct three-four rides between 4pm and 6pm.

The limited response has also put expansion plans on hold. The proposed roll-out of balloon rides at Asita East Park, the Yamuna Sports Complex and the Commonwealth Games Village Sports Complex has been put on the back-burner until demand picks up, officials said.

A spokesperson for DDA said, “Operations are going on as planned and more locations will be added in a phased manner.”

There was no response from the DDA spokesperson to questions on scaling down of operations.

Hot-air balloon rides were opened on November 29, with the DDA pitching them as a new recreational attraction along the Yamuna floodplains. Ahead of the launch, a trial was undertaken by lieutenant governor VK Saxena at the Baansera Park.

The rides are operated using tethered balloons, which are secured to the ground with four heavy-duty ropes designed to bear tonnes of load. Each flight lasts about 10 minutes, during which the balloon ascends to a height of roughly 100 to 150 feet, offering views of the floodplains, nearby green spaces and the city skyline.

Tickets are priced at ₹3,000 (plus GST) per person. Depending on the configuration, a basket can carry up to 10 people, although most rides are currently operated on a three to five-person configuration. The rides were scheduled to be held daily between 3.30pm and 7pm, but officials said the timings and frequency will be changed based on public response.