On January 13 this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off a river cruise named ‘Ganga Vilas’, which will travel from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh to Dibrugarh in Assam. While earlier the launch date was announced as 10 January, now it will be launched on 13 January.
Dubbed the world’s longest river cruise, it will cover a distance of a whopping 3200 km in 50 days. During the course of its journey, ‘Ganga Vilas’ will pass through 27 river systems in both India and Bangladesh, including the Ganga and the Brahmaputra. This longest voyage by a river ship will mark the entry of India and Bangladesh into the world’s river cruise map.
The river cruise will be flagged off from the boarding point located opposite the Ravidas Ghat. The cruise will pass through Ghazipur, Buxar, Patna, Kolkata, and Guwahati before reaching the final destination of Dibrugarh.
PM Modi to flag off Ganga Vilas Cruise from Varanasi on Jan 13, excitement high among people
— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) January 7, 2023
Read @ANI Story | https://t.co/zvS0DnfUZh#PMModi #PMNarendraModi #GangaVilas #Gangavilascruise #Varanasi #Ganga pic.twitter.com/SxWxllOKC8
Preparations are underway for the maiden journey of ‘Ganga Vilas’ on January 13 this year. The Culture Department, Inland Waterways Transport, and Tourism Department officials along with Varanasi District Magistrate S Rajalingam and Divisional Commissioner Kaushal Raj Sharma are overseeing the preparations.
Divisional commissioner Kaushal Raj Sharma said, “The PM will flag off Varanasi-Dibrugarh river ship ‘Ganga Vilas’ through video conferencing on January 13 while CM and Union minister of ports, shipping and waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal will be present at the flag off ceremony at Ravidas Ghat.” UP CM Yogi Adityanath will also be present at the occasion. The CM will launch the second tent city on the sand bed on the opposite bank of Ganga.
Reportedly, Ganga Vilas will leave for Dibrugarh with 33 tourists including 32 from Switzerland and one from Germany. The tour’s standouts include witnessing the ancient “Ganga Aarti,” exploring the natural wonders of the world’s largest mangrove forest, visiting Mayong, India’s cradle of “black magic,” and exploring the vast cultural treasure of the world’s largest river island Majuli.
Reportedly, it will provide an opportunity for passengers to visit world heritage sites and about 50 architecturally important places. The river cruise will be equipped with facilities such as personalised butler service, gym, spa, and open-air observation deck, convertible beds, French balconies, a restaurant, music systems, and sundeck.
Measuring 62.5 m (length), 12.8 m (width), and 1.35 m (draft), this is the first river cruise ship built in India, according to authorities. The river cruise contains 18 suites and has the capacity to carry 80 passengers at one time.
‘Ganga Vilas’ will also pass through the Sundarbans Delta, Kaziranga National Park (famous for one-horned rhinoceros) and several other national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. During the Bangladesh leg of the trip, the passengers can visit the ghost city of Sonargaon and the 1400-era Sixty Dome Mosque in Bagerhat.
Earlier in November 2022, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, had tweeted “The world’s longest river cruise will commence its journey in January next year.”
The world’s longest river cruise will commence its journey in Jan next year. Ganga Vilas, will set sail from sacred Varanasi to Dibrugarh via Bangladesh covering 4,000 km on the two greatest rivers of India, Ganga & Brahmaputra. Watch 🎥 pic.twitter.com/1buzy8ISig
— Sarbananda Sonowal (@sarbanandsonwal) November 12, 2022
“Ganga Vilas will set sail from sacred Varanasi to Dibrugarh via Bangladesh covering 4,000 km on the two greatest rivers of India, Ganga and Brahmaputra,” he further added. Reportedly, ‘Ganga Vilas’ was first advertised in 2018 and was scheduled to start its services in 2020. However, the plans were derailed due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic.
While the pricing has not yet been disclosed, the same company (Antara Luxury River Cruise) that will run the ‘Ganga Vilas’ offers a 4-day ‘Incredible Benaras package’ at ₹1.12 lakh per person. According to a Livemint report, Kashif Siddiqui, Director Sales and Strategic Marketing India of Antara Luxury River Cruise, said that the reason why the price has not been revealed is that all the suits have already been booked by Swiss tourists for the next couple of years. He also said that the Swiss tourists have paid a whopping ₹38 lakh for each suite, that too 1.5 years ago when the deal was closed.
The World’s Longest River Cruise from Varanasi on River Ganga to Dibrugarh on River Brahmaputra.
— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) January 6, 2023
🚢Boarding : 10th Jan and will reach Dibrugarh on 1st Mar.
🛳️The cruise goes via : Patna, Kolkata, Dhaka,
Dhubri, Guwahati, Majuli Island. pic.twitter.com/sMaPKkOQhh
“This will be a unique cruise in the world and a reflection of growing cruise tourism in India. I request the people of West Bengal to take the benefit of this,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier said about ‘Ganga Vilas’.
