PM Modi to Launch World's Longest River Cruise and Inaugurate Tent City in Varanasi on Jan 13th

Varanasi. On January 13th, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the MV Ganga Vilas, the world's longest river cruise, via video conferencing. He will also inaugurate the Tent City at Varanasi. In addition, he will inaugurate and lay the foundation for multiple inland waterways projects worth over Rs. 1000 crores during the event.

MV Ganga Vilas sets sail from Varanasi, UP and will traverse 3,200 km in 51 days, reaching Dibrugarh, Assam via Bangladesh, across 27 river systems. It boasts three decks, 18 suites, capacity of 36 tourists and luxury amenities. 32 tourists from Switzerland have signed up for the entire journey on the maiden voyage.

MV Ganga Vilas cruise is curated to bring out the best of the country to be showcased to the world. The 51 days cruise is planned with visits to 50 tourist spots including World Heritage Sites, 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. The journey will give the tourists an opportunity to embark upon an experiential voyage and indulge in the art, culture, history, and spirituality of India and Bangladesh.

The launch of MV Ganga Vilas unlocks the vast potential of river cruise tourism as per Prime Minister's efforts, paving the way for a new era of river cruising in India.

Tent City, located on the banks of the Ganges, aims to tap into the tourism potential of the region, providing accommodation facilities and catering to the increase in tourists visiting Varanasi, particularly since the inauguration of Kashi Vishwanath Dham. Developed by Varanasi Development Authority through a public-private partnership, tourists will access the Tent City by boat from nearby ghats. It operates from October to June each year, and temporarily closes for three months during the rainy season when river water levels rise.

Prime Minister will inaugurate Haldia Multi Modal Terminal in West Bengal, developed under Jal Marg Vikas Project. The terminal has a cargo handling capacity of around 3 million Metric Tonne Per Annum (MMTPA) and is designed to handle vessels up to 3000 Deadweight tonnage (DWT).

The Prime Minister will inaugurate four floating community jetties in Uttar Pradesh and lay the foundation stone for five more in Bihar. This is part of a larger initiative to construct more than 60 community jetties along the Ganges river across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal to promote economic activity and improve livelihoods for local communities. These community jetties will provide logistical support for small farmers, fishery units, unorganized farm producers, horticulturists, florists, and artisans, supporting economic activity in the region.

The Prime Minister will also inaugurate the Maritime Skill Development Centre for North East in Guwahati, to hone the talent in the region and to provide better employment opportunities in the growing logistics industry.

In addition to these, Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for a ship repair facility and elevated road at Pandu Terminal in Guwahati. This will save valuable time as ships no longer need to travel to Kolkata for repair and transportation costs are also saved. Additionally, the dedicated road linking the Pandu Terminal to NH 27 will provide 24-hour access.