Prime Minister Narendra Modi to launch the world’s longest river cruise, which will travel from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh to Dibrugarh in Assam via Bangladesh on January 13.
In 50 days, the luxury boat will travel 4,000 kilometers along 27 river systems in India, including the Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly, Brahmaputra, and West Coast Canals.
This will be a trip like no other in the world, reflecting the booming cruise industry in India, the Prime Minister said. On Friday, Modi launched many projects for West Bengal via video conference. “I ask the people of West Bengal to benefit from this,” he remarked.
He added that the cruise’s inaugural journey would depart on January 13.
50 significant tourist destinations will be visited throughout the journey, including some historical monuments, the iconic Varanasi Ganga Aarti, and protected areas like Kaziranga National Park and the Sundarbans Delta during the cruise.
In Bangladesh, the trip will cover over 1,100 kilometers. The cruise run by a private player would be a regular fixture.
According to media reports, the planning of the cruise service was significantly influenced by the growth of the India-Bangladesh Protocol route.
Assam’s Ex-Chief Minister and Current Minister of shipping and waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, recently stated that one of the government’s top priorities is the growth of coastal and river cruise services.
The Prime Minister stated that the Center has been tasked with creating 100 national waterways, with the goal of seeing world-class cruises running on these rivers in addition to cargo flow.
