Guwahati: The Ganga Vilas Cruise which was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week became stranded on the third day of its 51-day journey in Chhapra, Bihar because of the Ganga’s shallow water.
The cruise which was scheduled to dock at the shore for the tourists to visit Chirand, an archaeological site, got stuck because of water deficiency in the Ganges near the Doriganj area of the district.
The most significant archaeological site in the area is Chirand Saran, which is close to Doriganj Bazar and is located 11 km southeast of Chhapra. The construction of stupanuma fills along the Ghaghra river’s banks is thought to have included Hindu, Buddhist, and Muslim elements. Officials stated that it was challenging to get the cruise to the shore because of the shallow water.
After receiving the information, the SDRF team went to the location to rescue the visitors using a small boat so they wouldn’t have any trouble getting to Chirand Saran.
Ample accommodations have been made for the tourists in Chirand, according to Chhapra’s CO Satendra Singh, who is also a member of the team responsible for organising the arrangements.
“SDRF team is stationed at the ghat so that immediate action can be taken on any untoward situation. Due to less water, there is a problem in bringing the cruise to the shore. Therefore, efforts are being made to bring tourists through small boats,” he said.
The Ganga Vilas Cruise offers unique elements as well. It travels at a maximum pace of 12 km/h upstream and 20 km/h downstream. The cruise contains a sewage treatment facility and a RO system for drinking water. The cruise offers all the amenities required for the comfort of the passengers and their requirements. In Bangladesh, the fare is Rs 50,000 per day, compared to Rs 25,000 in India.
On January 13, PM Modi signalled the start of the sail from Varanasi.
The opulent triple-deck cruise will journey from Varanasi to Dibrugarh in Assam along the world’s longest river. Eighty people can board the boat, including 18 suits.
This trip will travel on an exciting 51-day tour that will include 15 days in Bangladesh.
It will next travel via Assam’s Brahmaputra River to reach Dibrugarh.
The opulent cruise will travel through 5 states in India and Bangladesh over a distance of more than 3,200 miles.
A total of 27 river systems across UP, Bihar, West Bengal, Bangladesh, and Assam will be traversed during this trip. The Ganga, Meghna, and Brahmaputra are the three principal rivers that the cruise will cross.
The trip will enter the Bengali river systems of the Bhagirathi, Hooghly, Bidyavati, Malata, and Sundarbans.
It will flow through Bangladesh’s Meghna, Padma, and Jamuna before entering the Brahmaputra in Assam.
An official statement states that the 51-day cruise is scheduled to stop at 50 popular tourist destinations, including World Heritage Sites, National Parks, river Ghats, and important cities like Patna in Bihar, Sahibganj in Jharkhand, Kolkata in West Bengal, Dhaka in Bangladesh, and Guwahati in Assam.