Ferry Rides In The North East: A New Wave In Maritime Tourism

What if you could dodge the potholes on the road, skip the heavy traffic and avoid the congested path that barely allows any movement. Sounds blissful right? In that case, an exotic ferry ride might just be the thing for you.  Well, ferry rides in most cases are associated with the serene backwaters of India. But the government of India plans to make ferry services a daily phenomenon in the North Eastern part of the country. The government has proposed this alternative plan to make commute through the North Eastern region easier.

Due to the difficult terrain navigation through the region is often long, indirect and time consuming. The implementation of an inland waterway project will ensure easy transit for passengers.

Public sector company WAPCOS has been delegated with the responsibility of preparing a model detailed project report for low cost ferry services in the region. According to the Ministry of Shipping the model DPR can be adopted for quick implementation by the Inland Waterways Authority of India in consultation with the different state governments of the region.

As per reports by New Indian Express, the government has already started developing the country’s first national waterway (NW 1) along the river Ganga from Haldia to Varanasi with financial aid from the World Bank. “Inland Waterway will be a game changer for North Eastern States” said Mansukh Mandaviya, MoS of Shipping. Prahlad Patel, MoS for Tourism & Culture said that there is immense potential for maritime tourism in the country.

These efforts are in tune with the shipping ministry’s plan to promote maritime tourism under the governments’ ‘Sagarmala’ programme. This new wave in tourism will open the doors for endless employment opportunities for coastal communities in these states.