He called it a “hybrid” of the modern and the ancient, and said the cruise would open new horizons to tourists from around the world.
Release Date – 12:00 PM, Fri – 13 January 23
Varanasi: On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lowered the flag for the world’s longest river cruise ship, the MV Ganga Vilas.
He called it a “hybrid” of the modern and the ancient, and said the cruise would open new horizons to tourists from around the world.
The Prime Minister spoke about the feature virtually, saying the cruise will bring several tourist destinations on the world map and provide unprecedented experiences for tourists who can sample the country’s gastronomy, culture, religious diversity and natural resources.
“India has everything you can imagine, and much more than you can imagine. India can only be experienced,” he said.
The premier said the cruise would pave the way for more such cruises in the budget and luxury categories. He said there was a need to encourage water transport as this would also ensure a boost to the economy and provide self-employment opportunities for young people.
He said the Ganges is not just a river but part of India’s heritage.
He welcomes the international tourists who will be traveling on the inaugural cruise with the hope that they will have the experience of a lifetime.
Meanwhile, a government spokesman said the cruise would cover 3,200 kilometers in 51 days. This five-star mobile hotel can accommodate 36 tourists in 18 suites. In addition, it can accommodate 40 crew members. The modernist ship is 62 meters long, 12 meters wide, and has a draft of 1.4 meters.
It will take visitors through 27 river systems and will pass through various famous destinations.
According to a statement in Lucknow by Uttar Pradesh tourism minister Jaiveer Singh, the cruise will cover 50 tourist destinations including world heritage sites, national parks, ghats and major cities such as Patna in Bihar, Sahibganj in Jharkhand, Kolkata in West Bengal, Dhaka in Bangladesh and Guwahati in Assam.
There is a sewage treatment plant on this cruise so that the sewage does not flow into the Ganges, and a filtration plant to purify the Ganges water for bathing and other uses.
The prime minister also inaugurated a tent city on the banks of the Ganges in Varanasi.
