PM Modi inaugurates ‘world’s longest river cruise’ setting sail from Varanasi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday flagged off the newly unveiled MV Ganga Vilas at Varanasi. The luxury cruise is said to be ‘the world’s longest river cruise.’

The cruise embarked on its first journey, departing from Varanasi. The MV Ganga Vilas is scheduled to reach its final destination, Dibrugarh in Assam on March 1.

The Prime Minister unveiled the cruise virtually through video conferencing on Friday, stating, “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.”

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

“India can’t be defined in words, it can only be experienced from heart,” he added, addressing the foreign tourists aboard the cruise.

It may be pertinent to note that all 32 tourists aboard the cruise on its maiden journey are from Switzerland.

The luxury cruise is set to carry out a 3,200 km distance over 51 days, with the voyage packed with over 50 tourist attractions. With three decks and 18 suites, the cruise ship is equipped to host 36 guests in a single voyage.

Those wishing to travel aboard the MV Ganga Vilas will reportedly have to shell out about Rs.25,000 per day on the cruise.

Cities like Patna in Bihar, Sahibganj in Jharkhand, Kolkata in West Bengal, Dhaka in Bangladesh and Guwahati in Assam are all said to be stops for the luxury cruise alongside World Heritage spots, national parks, and river ghats.

Popular sites like the Ganga Arti in Varanasi, the Buddhist site of Sarnath, and Majuli, the largest river island in Assam are all reportedly on the roster for the MV Ganga Vilas.

The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), under the Ministry of Shipping, Ports and Waterways (MoPSW) will manage the cruise, which will supposedly embark on its next voyage in September.

The PM is also scheduled to inaugurate several other inland waterways projects worth more than Rs 1,000 crore on Friday.