PM to flag off world’s longest river cruise ‘Ganga Vilas’ on Jan 13

Varanasi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will virtually flag off Ganga Vilas cruise on January 13 in the presence of Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at Ravidas Ghat in Varanasi, a senior officer said here on Saturday.
Divisional Commissioner Kaushal Raj Sharma said the world’s longest river cruise Ganga Vilas will complete a journey of 3,200 kilometers in 50 days. He said the world’s longest voyage by a single river ship will also bring Bangladesh and India on the world’s river cruise map and promote tourism across both the countries.
Sharma said after flagging off the Ganga Vilas cruise, it will leave for Dibrugarh from Varanasi with 33 tourists, which include 32 from Switzerland and 1 from Germany. He said the ship will pass through 27 river systems in India and Bangladesh and will stop at over 50 important places.
He said the cruise will also pass-through National Parks and Sanctuaries, including Sunderban and Kaziranga.
Divisional Commissioner Kaushal Raj Sharma, District Magistrate S Rajalingam along with officials of Inland waterways Authority of India and Tourism Department recently inspected the Ravidas Ghat where the river cruise will be flagged off for Dibrugarh.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal will be present in Varanasi during the virtual flag off ceremony of the Ganga Vilas cruise by PM Modi from Ravidas Ghat.
The Ministry of Culture, which is also involved, will showcase the tradition and culture of India to Swiss tourists. (UNI)