Varanasi, Jan 13: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday flagged off the Ganga river cruise from Varanasi. The 51-day cruise, being pitched as the world’s longest river cruise, is expected to reach its final destination — Dibrugarh in Assam — on March 1.
“The beginning of the world’s longest river cruise service on river Ganga is a landmark moment. It will herald a new age of tourism in India,” Prime Minister Modi said while flagging off the cruise virtually via video conference.
Beginning of cruise service on River Ganga is a landmark moment. It will herald a new age of tourism in India. https://t.co/NOVFLFrroE
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 13, 2023
MV Ganga Vilas is the first cruise vessel to be made in India. It will travel 3,200 km in 51 days.
The 32 tourists from Switzerland, who will take the first journey, were welcomed at the Varanasi port with garlands and tunes of shehnai. They will visit various religious and historical places in Varanasi before setting out on the cruise.
It will take tourists across 27 river systems and will cruise through various prominent destinations.
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As per the statement issued from Uttar Pradesh Tourism Minister Jaiveer Singh issued in Lucknow, the cruise will cover 50 tourist destinations including world heritage sites, national parks, river ghats, and major cities like Patna in Bihar, Shahiganj in Jharkhand, Kolkata in West Bengal, Dhaka in Bangladesh, and Guwahati in Assam.
The cruise has also been fitted with facilities such as a spa, salon, and gym. It will cost ₹ 25,000 to ₹ 50,000 a day, with the total cost for the 51-day journey totaling around ₹ 20 lahks for each passenger. The cruise is equipped with a pollution-free system and noise control technology.
