Ganga Vilas Cruise: World’s longest river cruise to sail from Varanasi to Dibrugarh

Varanasi, the holy metropolis of Uttar Pradesh, is about to witness the launch of the world’s longest river voyage to Dibrugarh in Assam through Bangladesh on January 10, 2023. The central authorities has proposed to launch the world’s longest luxurious river cruise in a bid to reinforce inland waterways growth within the nation. 

Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, said that the Ganga Vilas cruise will sail from Varanasi to Dibrugarh in 50 days, masking 27 river programs and visiting over 50 vacationer websites, together with World Heritage Sites. The Minister went on to say that this would be the world’s largest river voyage by river ship, placing each India and Bangladesh on the worldwide cruise map. In addition, the 50-day cruise will sail by sanctuaries reminiscent of Kaziranga National Park and the Sundarbans Delta.

Sarbanand Sonowal took to Twitter to share details about the Ganga Vilas Cruise and wrote, “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.”

The world’s longest river cruise will start its journey in Jan subsequent 12 months. Ganga Vilas, will set sail from sacred Varanasi to Dibrugarh through Bangladesh masking 4,000 km on the 2 best rivers of India, Ganga & Brahmaputra. Watch 🎥 pic.twitter.com/1buzy8ISig

— Sarbananda Sonowal (@sarbanandsonwal) November 12, 2022

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal launched the timetable of the cruise ship throughout an occasion at Ravidas Ghat in Varanasi on Friday. The ship will begin its first journey on tenth January from Varanasi and can attain Dibrugarh on March 1.

After departing from Varanasi, the cruise will arrive in Patna on the eighth day, crusing by means of Buxar, Ramnagar, and Ghazipur. During its 50-day journey, it can cease at over 50 architecturally vital locations, together with world heritage websites. The route of the ship contains three main waterways, National Water Way 1 over the Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly river system, The Indo-Bangla Protocol Route from Kolkata to Dhubri over a number of rivers in Bangladesh, and National Waterway 2 over Brahmaputra.

The proposed route of Ganga Vilas Cruise

After beginning at Varanasi over River Ganga, the cruise will enter the Hooghly river at Farakka and attain the Sunderbans by means of Kolkata, crusing downstream. The cruise will navigate by means of numerous channels of the world’s largest delta of Megha river, which is shaped Ganga and Brahmaputra. From Sunderbans, the cruise will begin crusing upstream on the rivers included within the Indo-Bangla Protocol Route, which is principally the Brahmaputra river and its distributaries recognized in numerous names in Bangladesh. The cruise will journey almost 1,100 kilometres by means of Bangladesh earlier than coming into India once more and can journey over all the West-East size of Assam by means of Brahmaputra from Dhubri to Dibrugarh.

The tour’s standouts embody witnessing the traditional “Ganga Aarti,” exploring the pure wonders of the world’s largest mangrove forest, visiting Mayong, India’s cradle of “black magic,” and exploring the huge cultural treasure of the world’s largest river island.

Sonowal asserted that one of many authorities’s prime priorities is the event of coastal and river transport, together with cruise providers, and that it will assist India faucet its potential on this territory. “In addition to promoting passenger traffic on rivers, the development of inland waterway systems would expedite trade and cargo services and attract tourists along its route.”

Minister Sonowal additional knowledgeable that the cruise service will facilitate all types of vacationers who include various mindsets. “Cruises are of various kinds, like luxury, expedition, etc. Tourists come with their own mindsets, some may wish to move from one point to another while others would prefer to stay throughout the journey. The service will facilitate all sorts of tourists,” he mentioned.

Furthermore, with the modification of the Indian Vessel Act, cruise liners may have nationwide permits facilitating their seamless motion throughout states, the minister knowledgeable.

Measuring 62.5 m (size), 12.8 m (width), and 1.35 m (draft), that is the primary river cruise ship in-built India, in response to authorities. The ship has 18 fits, together with numerous amenities and facilities like a restaurant, spa and sundeck.

With the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) and Antara Luxury River Cruises and JM Baxi River Cruises, the cruise would be the first set of cruise liners to function on a PPP mannequin. The cruise operators will decide the ticket worth with out intervention from the Centre. Antara cruises have said that the Ganga Vilas cruise may have 18 suites and different amenities which embody LED TV, smoke detectors, life vests, sprinklers, French balcony, convertible beds, a 40-seater restaurant, a spa, and sundecks.