News Highlights:
Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the world’s longest river cruise, MV Ganga Vilas and inaugurated the tent city at Varanasi.
Key takeaway:
- MV Ganga Vilas is the first indigenously made cruise vessel in India and the longest river cruise from Kashi to Dibrugarh,
- The Tent City, aims to increase tourism opportunities in the region.
MV Ganga Vilas cruise:
- About:
- It is the world’s longest river cruise from Kashi to Dibrugarh putting tourism destinations on the global tourism map.
- MV Ganga Vilas is the first indigenously made cruise vessel in India. The cruise has three decks and 18 suites on board, with all the modern amenities.
- Built with a unique design and a futuristic vision, the MV Ganga Vilas will meander across various prominent destinations across the Ganges along with the river Hooghly.
- Destinations:
- It will cover a distance of 3,200 km in roughly 51 days, reaching Assam’s Dibrugarh through Bangladesh.
- The cruise will pass through 25 different river streams.
- It will explore forty historic sites on the banks of the river Ganga, including Mahabodhi temple, Hazarduari Palace, Katra Masjid, Bodh Gaya, Chandanagar church, Char Bangla Temple and more.
- Operators:
- Private operators will manage the cruise.
- The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), under the Ministry of Shipping, Ports and Waterways (MoPSW), has supported the project.
- Significance:
- The sector would generate employment opportunities in the hinterland.
- The project will boost river cruise tourism and bring about a new age of tourism for India.
- The cruise has been curated to showcase the best of India to the world.
- The journey will allow foreign tourists to embark upon an experiential voyage and indulge in India and Bangladesh’s art, culture, history, and spirituality.
The Tent City:
- About:
- The Tent City, developed by the Varanasi Development Authority in public-private partnership mode on the banks of the Ganga, aims to increase tourism opportunities in the region.
- It will provide accommodation facilities to tourists along with live classical music and yoga sessions, among others.
- Operationalisation:
- The tent city will be operational from October to June every year and will be dismantled for three months due to the rise in river water level in the rainy season.
- The tourists will reach the Tent City by boats from different Ghats situated in the vicinity.
Pic Courtesy: DECCAN HERALD
Content Source: The Hindu