The Ganga Cruise costs Rs.12 Lakhs, making it a pipe dream for a middle-class person
The Ganga Cruise was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently. World’s Longest River Cruiset- the MV Ganga Vilas is all set to make history for India.
In his tweet, he stated “Beginning of cruise service on River Ganga is a landmark moment. It will herald a new age of tourism in India.”
Beginning of cruise service on River Ganga is a landmark moment. It will herald a new age of tourism in India. https://t.co/NOVFLFrroE
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 13, 2023
What is the MV Ganga Vilas?
MV Ganga Vilas will be the World’s longest river cruise. The maiden voyage begins on 13th January 2023 and will end on 1st March 2023. The cruise lasts for 51 days and starts from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, and ends at Dibrugarh, Assam.
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The cruise will cover 3,200 km across five states in India- Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Assam. It will also traverse through the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol route that allows the inland vessels to use specific routes of the other country.
The cruise will make stops at 50 tourist sites highlighting India’s cultural, historical, and monumental heritage. It will also traverse through wildlife sanctuaries of Sunderbans and Kaziranga National Park to showcase the rich wildlife pride of our country. Buddhit site of Sarnath, Ganga, Arti in Varanasi, Majuli (the largest river island in Assam), Bihar School of Yoga, Vikramshila Univeristy are other culturally important sites that will be covered by the cruise.
With three decks, capacity of 36 tourists will can be a part of this. For the current cruise, it is reported that 32 tourists from Switzerland will be there for the entire trip. The cruise is being managed by private operators, the support came from the Ministry of Shipping, Ports and Waterways (MoPSW).
What is the cost of the cruise?
With top-notch facilities, the cruise will cost ₹ 25,000 to ₹ 50,000 a day, making the minimum expenditure for the entire above Rs. 12 lahks per person.
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Sarbananda Sonowal, the ex Chief Minister of Assam and current Union Minister for Port Shipping and Waterways said- “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.”
MV Ganga Vilas's journey from Varanasi to Dibrugarh presents the best to the world.
From Majestic “Ganga Arti” in Varanasi to Vaishnavite culture in Majuli and Sunderbans to Kaziranga, the tourist will surely have the experience of a lifetime.#LongestRiverCruise pic.twitter.com/Pndh7ktnOv
— BJP (@BJP4India) January 13, 2023
Criticism
अब क्या भाजपा नाविकों का रोज़गार भी छीनेगी। भाजपा की धार्मिक स्थलों को पर्यटन स्थल बनाकर पैसे कमाने की नीति निंदनीय है। पूरी दुनिया से लोग काशी का आध्यात्मिक वैभव अनुभूत करने आते है; विलास-विहार के लिए नहीं। भाजपा बाहरी चकाचौंध से असल मुद्दों के अंधेरों को अब और नहीं ढक पायेगी। pic.twitter.com/7HbHL1ri5f
— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) January 11, 2023
In his tweet (written in Hindi), Akhilesh Yadav, the ex Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh talks about how BJP is taking away sailors’ jobs by doing this. He also mentioned that people from all over the World come to experience the spiritual splendor of Kashi and not for luxury. He ended by saying that BJP will no longer be able to hide the real issue from the outside World.
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Though this is a landmark moment’ in the tourism of the country, the high cost of the cruise eliminates a large chunk of the Indian population to enjoy these facilities. With such high costs, they have essentially stopped a Ganga devotee the accessibility to the World’s Longest River Cruise.
Even though the cruise has set a proper sewage system and a recycling unit to use the water of the Ganga for bathing and other activities, there is no guarantee that such a long cruise will not hamper the environment.
River tourism is a highly untapped market in India and one that can make a lot of profits, but it has to be done carefully and more economically so that the citizens, despite the economic background can enjoy it.
