Prime Minister to flag of “World’s Longest River Cruise” today
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the world’s longest river Cruise, MV Ganga Vilas, in Varanasi via video link on Friday and inaugurate and lay foundation stones for several other projects.
World’s longest River Cruise MV Ganga Vilas is the first-ever cruise vessel to be made in India. This is the symbol of Self-reliant India (Atmanirbhar Bharat) in the River Cruise Sector, an official of Port, Shipping and Waterways told ANI.
MV Ganga Vilas will begin its journey from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh and travel 3,200 km, in 51 days, to reach Dibrugarh in Assam via Bangladesh.
The flag-off ceremony will be in the presence of Minister for Ports, Shipping & Waterways – Sarbananda Sonowal, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath, besides other Ministers and senior officials from various Ministries & Departments.
Union Minister for Port Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal told ANI that on its maiden voyage, MV Ganga Vilas will carry 32 tourists from Switzerland across 27 river systems and will cruise through various prominent destinations located along the river banks in Varanasi, Patna, Kolkata, Bangladesh, Guwahati and Sibsagar/Dibrugarh.
“The journey will give the foreign tourists an opportunity to embark upon an experiential voyage and indulge in the art, culture, history, and spirituality of India and Bangladesh,” Sonowal said.