PATNA: The Ganga Vilas cruise got stuck in the river Ganga in Bihar’s Saran district as it could not be tied to the shore due to shallow water in the river on the third day of its 51-day journey on Monday.
Police said that a State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team took tourists in small boats for their onward journey to Chirand, an archaeological site situated on the northern bank of the river Ganga.
The cruise, flagged off by PM Narendra Modi on January 13, was scheduled to dock near the Doriganj Chirand Ghat in Saran district. A government official admitted that the cruise could not be tied to the shore due to silt and less water in the river.
When contacted, Chhapra circle officer Satyendra Singh said that adequate arrangements were made for the visiting tourists at Chirand. “Due to less water, there was a problem in bringing the cruise to the shore of the river. So the tourists were brought to the site through small boats and motorboats,” he told this newspaper.
“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 onward journey as per schedule,” Sanjay Bandopadhyaya, chairman, Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), tweeted.
‘India is incredible’
Tourists were taken on small boats to archaeological site Chirand on the northern bank of the Ganga. One of the tourists was overwhelmed by the warm welcome and said, “India is incredible.” Another tourist said, “It’s an amazing experience.”