‘Ramayan Cruise Service' to be launched on River Saryu in Ayodhya

Tourists visiting Ayodhya will have a chance to travel in Ramayan Cruise on River Saryu and can have a glimpse of popular Ghats in the holy city. The government is planning to launch a luxury boat service.

"'Ramayan Cruise Tour’ on the Saryu river in Ayodhya will be launched soon," said Union Minister for Ports and Shipping Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday.

The minister who held a meeting on starting the cruise service, said: "It will be the first-ever luxury cruise service on the Saryu river in Ayodhya."

"The project aims to give mesmerising experience to devotees with one-of-its-kind spiritual journeys while cruising through the famous ghats of the holy river Saryu," the minister added.

"The cruise will be equipped with all luxury comfort and facilities along with all essential safety and security features at par with the global standard. The interiors of the cruise and the boarding point will be based on the theme of Ramcharitmanas. The fully air-conditioned 80-seater cruise will have large glass windows for experiencing the scenic beauty of the Ghats. The cruise will be equipped with kitchen and pantry facilities for the comfort of the tourists. The cruise contains bio-toilets and hybrid engines system for the ‘zero effect’ on the environment," said a statement from the Shipping Ministry.

While on the boat, the visitors could be entertained with films and animation on the story of Ramayana.

The entire tour will cover the approximate 15-16 km distance. There will be several activities and selfie points inspired by different episodes of Ramayana. The tour will be followed by Saryu Aarti, in which every member will be able to actively participate, the statement said.

The project will help attract a large number of tourists and generate direct and indirect employment opportunities in the region. The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways will provide all necessary infrastructural support for the smooth operation of the cruise service, the statement said.

As per Uttar Pradesh government data, around 2 crore tourists visit Ayodhya every year. After the completion of the Ram Mandir, the inflow of tourists is expected to be increased, said the statement.