'Big Ships Can't Go to Shore': Operator of Ganga Vilas Tells Truth Behind 'Stuck Cruise' as Politics Erupts

Amid reports of MV Ganga Vilas cruise getting stuck on the third day in Bihar’s Chhapra, the operator of the ship has said that the claims are “absolutely false”. He added that the cruise was anchored in the river and tourists took boats for sightseeing as “big ships can’t go to the shore”.

On Monday, it was reported that the flagship cruise, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week, got stuck on the third day of its 51-day journey in Bihar’s Chhapra due to shallow water in the Ganga.

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 reports stated.

Raj Singh, chairman of Exotic Heritage Group which is operating the “world’s longest river cruise”, however, was quoted by NDTV as saying, “The ship has reached Patna as per schedule. The ship always remains in the main channel. The big ships can’t go to the shore. This is normal for a cruise ship.”

The tourists took the boat to see Chirand, an archaeological site, and got back, said Singh. Chirand Saran, situated 11 km southeast of Chhapra near Doriganj Bazar, is the most important archaeological site of the district. Stupanuma fillings built on the banks of the Ghaghra river are seen to be associated with Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim influences.

“The ship is currently anchored at Patna and not at the jetty because there are thousands of people who have come to see the ship and there are privacy and safety issues. So, we can’t bring the ship to the jetty for the safety and security of the passengers. There’s nothing wrong in that and it’s just a precaution that we are taking,” he added.

Sanjay Bandopadhyaya, chairman of Inland Waterways Authority of India, also said that the cruise reached Patna as per schedule. “No truth in the news that the vessel is stuck in Chhapra, Bihar. The vessel will continue its onward journey as per schedule,” he added.

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who was present at the flagging off event in Varanasi along with UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath, tweeted that fake news is being spread regarding Ganga Vilas “with malicious intent by the usual suspects”.

Taking a jibe, former UP CM Akhilesh Yadav said that the difference between a cruise and a boat is clear with Ganga vilas “getting stuck”. “Now will these tourists be given ‘Vayu Vilas’ through aeroplane?” he asked.

Special Features of Ganga Vilas

The speed of the cruise is up to 12 kilometres per hour upstream and 20 kilometres downstream. The cruise has an RO system for drinking water, along with a sewage treatment plant. The cruise has all the necessary facilities for the convenience of the people and their needs.

Its fare in India is Rs 25,000 a day, while in Bangladesh the fare is Rs 50,000 a day. PM Modi had flagged off the cruise from Varanasi on January 13. The luxury triple-deck cruise will travel on the world’s longest waterway from Varanasi to Dibrugarh in Assam. The cruise has a capacity of 80 passengers with 18 suits.

This cruise will go on an adventurous journey for 51 days and pass through Bangladesh for 15 days. Following this, it will go to Dibrugarh through the Brahmaputra river in Assam. The luxury cruise will cover a distance of more than 3,200 kms and pass through 5 states in India and Bangladesh. This cruise will pass through a total of 27 river systems of UP, Bihar, West Bengal, Bangladesh, and Assam.

The cruise will pass through three major rivers Ganga, Meghna, and Brahmaputra. The cruise will enter the Bhagirathi, Hooghly, Bidyavati, Malata, and Sundarbans river systems in Bengal.

In Bangladesh, it will pass through Meghna, Padma, and Jamuna in Bangladesh and then enter the Brahmaputra in Assam. According to an official statement, the 51 days cruise is planned with visits to 50 tourist spots including World Heritage Sights, National Parks, river Ghats, and major cities like Patna in Bihar, Sahibganj in Jharkhand, Kolkata in West Bengal, Dhaka in Bangladesh and Guwahati in Assam.

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