Government denies that a Ganga cruise became stuck in Chhapra.
According to a government statement issued on Monday, the Ganga cruise ship went according to schedule, despite claims that the luxury vessel was stuck at Chhapra, Bihar, on Monday. According to a government release, the ship anchored at Ghazipur on January 13, 2023, Buxar on January 14, and Mauzampur (Arrah) on January 15. After stopping at Doriganj on January 16, the cruise ship arrived in Patna at 4:45 p.m. on the same day, January 16. Throughout its journey, the waterway levels were maintained and monitored to ensure the necessary draught for navigation facilities, according to the statement.
“The Ganga Villas reached Patna as per schedule. There is absolutely no truth in the news that the vessel is stuck in Chhapra. The vessel will continue its onwards journey as per schedule” : Sanjay Bandopadhyaya, Chairman, IWAI
— IWAI (@IWAI_ShipMin) January 16, 2023
In accordance with the agenda, the tourists also visited stops along the way. Tourists were transferred to the shore using a tug boat to safeguard their safety and privacy, according to a government statement, which also noted that the river at Doriganj has a draught of 3.5 metres, which is far greater than the required 1.4 metres. “There is no truth to the rumour that the ship is trapped at Chhapra,” the government said, adding that the cruise operator determines the anchoring location and manner of transfer of visitors to the bank based on the safety and privacy of its guests.
It was reported on Monday that the Ganga Vilas cruise, which was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 13 from Varanasi, became stranded near Chhapra, Bihar, due to shallow water in the Ganga. Due to a lack of water in the Ganges near the Doriganj region of the district, the cruise that was supposed to land at the shore so that tourists could explore the archaeological site of Chirand became stranded. Officials stated that it was difficult to bring the cruise to land because of the shallow water at the shore.
“An SDRF crew is stationed at the ghat so that any unpleasant incident can be dealt with immediately.” Due to low water levels, it isn’t easy to get the cruise to land. Therefore, efforts are being made to attract tourists using small boats, according to Chhapra’s CO, Satendra Singh, as quoted by ANI.
But Raj Singh, the founder and CEO of Antara Cruises, which runs the MV Ganga Vilas, told The Deccan Era on Monday night that the report is not true. “The ship is currently anchored in Patna as planned,” he said. “Large ships can’t reach the coast when there is less water, so small ships or tenders must be used to unload.”
The excursion costs Rs 50,000 per person per day and includes vegetarian meals. On the other hand, Singh claims that all dietary restrictions can be accommodated. 32 Swiss tourists have signed up to go on the first expedition for the whole time. The luxurious three-deck cruise, which can accommodate up to 36 people in 18 suites, is slated to go across the world’s longest waterway.
During its 51-day journey, the boat will travel 3,200 kilometres across 27 river systems and visit 50 tourist spots, such as world heritage sites, national parks, river gorges, and major cities. The next stop after Patna is Jharkhand’s Shahibganj, then Kolkata (West Bengal), Dhaka (Bangladesh), Guwahati (Assam), and lastly, Dibrugarh (Assam) on March 1.
