New Delhi (TIP)- Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday flagged off MV Ganga Vilas, the world’s longest river Cruise, and inaugurated Tent City in Varanasi via video conferencing. During the event, the prime minister also laid the foundation stones for several other inland waterways projects worth over ?1000 crores. Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav, besides other ministers and senior officials from various ministries and departments were present at the event.  Speaking at the event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the beginning of the world’s longest river cruise service on river Ganga is a landmark moment, asserting that the project will herald a new age of tourism in India.

All you need to know about Ganga Vilas cruise:

Operated by Antara Cruises, MV Ganga Vilas will traverse 3,200km through five states in India and parts of Bangladesh over 51 days. It will begin its journey from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh and reach Dibrugarh in Assam via Bangladesh. The vessel with three decks is 62 metres wide and 12 metres in breadth.

Besides connecting National Waterway 1 (NW1) which includes Ganga and National Waterway 2 (NW2) on Brahmaputra, the cruise will cross 27 river systems.

It has 18 suites on board with a capacity of 36 tourists, with all the luxury amenities. The suites have soothing interiors, furnished with numerous amenities such as French balconies, LED TVs, safes, smoke detectors, and convertible beds, according to a UP tourism department official.

The cruise ship also has a 40-seater restaurant on the main deck, a spa, and a sun deck. The upper deck features a bar. The 51 days cruise is planned with visits to 50 tourist spots including World Heritage Sites, National Parks, River Ghats, and major cities like Patna in Bihar, Sahibganj in Jharkhand, Kolkata in West Bengal, Dhaka in Bangladesh and Guwahati in Assam.

Sonowal said the journey will give foreign tourists an opportunity to embark upon an experiential voyage and indulge in the art, culture, history, and spirituality of India and Bangladesh.

The maiden voyage has 32 tourists from Switzerland signing up for the entire length of the journey.

The cruise was to reach Varanasi on January 6 but weather conditions and poor visibility meant that it reached Ghazipur, 65km from Varanasi, on January 8.

The tourists were taken to the tomb of Lord Cornwallis in Ghazipur, the Ganga Aarti at the Dashashwamedh Ghat, and the newly renovated Kashi Vishwanath corridor.      Source: HT