Guwahati: The world’s longest river cruise, the MV Ganga Vilas completed its journey from Bangladesh’s adjacent Assam on February 17.
The landing of the Ganga Vilas cruise ship to Dhubri in Assam, India, was described as a “watershed event” in the inland waterways transit towards the transformation of Northeast India by the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal.
The Minister congratulated the people of Assam and the Northeast on this momentous occasion which is expected to unleash the enormous potential of river tourism and enable trickle-down development for those living on the other side of the Brahmaputra.
Speaking on the occasion, the Union Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal said, “Today is a historic day for the people of Assam and for Northeast India. Our endeavour towards reclaiming the glory of Assam’s trade and commerce got a tremendous boost with the successful passage of Ganga Vilas”.
“We have a history of flourishing trade and commerce via inland waterways before the partition. As the possibilities were turned into realities, the successful voyage of Ganga Vilas has opened a new vista of possibilities, opportunities, and realities”.
“The vision of our dynamic Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji to bring transformation via transportation has been realized as Ganga Vilas enters the Assam phase of its journey. The positive response from the tourists onboard the ship bears testament to the possibility of bright days of river cruise tourism on Ganga and Brahmaputra”.
“We remain committed towards re-energising our rich interweb of river systems to unlock value & bring development to the interiors of our country. This watershed moment of inland water transportation will unveil progress and development in the Northeast region, as it readies itself to propel as the engine of growth of India under the powerful leadership of PM Narendra Modi ji”.
MV Ganga Vilas arrived at ZERO point on Indo Bangladesh border on February 17 at around 10:30 AM. It then sailed another 32 km to reach Dhubri port at 4:00 PM.
The survey vessel SL Subansiri is accompanying the cruise ship from the Zero point all the way up to Pandu port. Tug HPT Ambedkar is still available if assistance is needed.
The historic cruise which was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed from Varanasi on January 13, 2023 and after sailing through Bangladesh and the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal as well as Bangladesh, arrived at Dhubri in Assam after a 39-day journey. The Varanasi to Bogibeel voyage by the Ganga Vilas, dubbed the longest river cruise in the world, is planned to end on March 1, 2023, when it anchors at Bogibeel in Dibrugarh, bringing an end to its 51-day expedition.
The ship was anchored on the Brahmaputra when it arrived in Dhubri, and the passengers were transported there by the MV Pratima in order to clear immigration using the reach jetty at the Dhubri Customs Port.
The 32 Swiss visitors who were travelling on this historic voyage were welcomed by the Deputy Commissioner of Dhubri, the Regional Director of the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), and other government representatives from the IWT and Tourism departments.
The travellers received refreshments as they enjoyed regional specialties paired with tea, Assam’s national beverage. Many Self Help Groups (SHGs) from the region set up booths where visitors could see a wide variety of native crafts, including jute items, Terracotta relics, and Kuhila.
A dance group performed the traditional Koch Rajbongshi dance while the tourists relaxed beside the Brahmaputra.
A thorough tour of the area in and around Dhubri town has been planned, showcasing the region’s cultural heritage, handicrafts, and other tourist attractions. Visitors will go to the well-known Asarikandi hamlet, noted for its crafts, to see how terracotta objects are manufactured.
A religious visit to Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib ji & Darshana of Holy Peepal tree has also been planned along with a visit to Victoria park. The Ganga Vilas will resume travelling from Dhubri to Goalpara tomorrow, or February 18, 2023, around midday.