Ferry cruise arrives in Kashi, to operate from Assi to Raj ghat
VARANASI: A ferry cruise was received by state’s tourism minister Neelkanth Tiwari at Sant Ravidas Ghat here on Sunday.
The cruise is expected to be a major attraction for tourists and the minister said that different types of paintings about Kashi have been made on cruise showcasing the grand old city’s cultural glory. He said Kashi’s spiritual aspect too have been attractively drawn on the cruise that is equipped with all the facilities for the tourists.
The arrival of the cruise from Goa to Varanasi is part of the PRASAD (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation And Spirituality Augmentation Drive) scheme of Union Ministry of Tourism.
The entire cruise project cost Rs 10.71 crores and the ferry cruise would operate from Assi Ghat to Rajghat, the minister said.
Regional tourism officer Keertiman Srivastava said tourists could board or disembark from both the ghats where ticket counters too have been set up.
The cruise had left for Kashi from Goa on November 23 last year. It was to reach Kashi in a month’s time but its arrival was delayed due to fog. It arrived at Ramnagar Terminal under the leadership of Captain Suresh Babu on Saturday evening via Kolkata, Odisha, Patna, Ghazipur.
It has two floors and has a seating capacity of 100 people. The lower or bottom floor is fully air conditioned and could accommodate upto 45 tourists. The cruise is open from all sides so that tourists can see the beauty of the Ganges and the ghats, Srivastava said.