‘MV Ganga Vilas’ to culminate journey on February 28 in Dibrugarh

After covering a distance of 3,200 km in over 50 days, the world’s longest river cruise ‘MV Ganga Vilas’ is set to culminate its journey on February 28 in Dibrugarh. The cruise vessel, which was made in India, began its journey from Varanasi on January 13 and covered destinations like Patna Sahib, Bodh Gaya, Vikramshila, Dhaka (Bangladesh capital), the Suderbans and the Kaziranga national park before reaching its final destination.

The vessel, with a unique design and a futuristic vision, has three decks and 18 suites on board with a capacity of 36 tourists. It is already booked for a to and fro journey for the next two years.

A welcome ceremony is set to be organized by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), under the aegis of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways in Dibrugarh on the same day. Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) Sarbananda Sonowal will be present at the event along with other Union Ministers, state Ministers, diplomats, and officials of IWAI and MoPSW.

Sonowal said the ‘MV Ganga Vilas’ has put India and Bangladesh on the river cruise map of the world, thus opening a new horizon and vertical for tourism and freight carriage in the Indian sub-continent. This route heralds a new chapter for freight carriage through inland waterways both for India and Bangladesh.

The cruise not only provides an opportunity for tourists seeking spirituality to visit destinations like Kashi, Bodh Gaya, Vikramshila, and Patna Sahib but also allows those interested in witnessing natural diversity to cover destinations like Sundarbans and Kaziranga.

The tourists also have an opportunity to go on board an immersive experiential voyage and explore the art, culture, history, and spirituality of India and Bangladesh along the entire route. According to an IWAI internal study conducted in 2017, 49 MMTPA of cargo moves in and out of the northeast and 30 MMTPA of cargo moves within the region.