MV Ganga Vihar lies tied with ropes near Gandhi Ghat in Patna. Picture by Ranjeet Kumar Dey

Patna, Aug. 22: Operations at the floating restaurant, MV Ganga Vihar, have been suspended because Ganga is flowing above the danger mark in the state capital.

Sources said at present, Ganga is flowing 87cm above the danger mark at Gandhi Ghat from where the floating restaurant sets sail. The increased water-level has elevated the gangway connecting Gandhi Ghat to the jetty, shifting them from their position. The rising water-level has also submerged the jetty and gangway.

A senior official of Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation (BSTDC) said boarding the ship was not safe right now. “On August 15, Ganga was flowing 75cm above the danger level at Gandhi Ghat. The water-level rose up to 87cm by August 17. The condition at Gandhi Ghat is so vulnerable that the jetty and the connecting gangway have shifted from their positions. MV Ganga Vihar is also unable to get a strong anchor at the jetty at Gandhi Ghat because of the strong currents. So, we have temporarily stopped its operations,” said the official.

The floating restaurant, run by the BSTDC, was opened to public on July 21, 2009.

The officer added that efforts are being made to move MV Ganga Vihar from the iron jetty at Gandhi Ghat to the concrete jetty of Inland Waterways Authority of India at Gai Ghat in Patna City to prevent the ship from being swept away by the strong river currents.

Bookings for the restaurant have also been suspended. “We would restart operations of MV Ganga Vihar only when the water-level dips, which is expected to happen by September 15,” said the BSTDC official.

The floating restaurant offers different packages daily, including pleasure trip, breakfast trip, lunch trip, dinner trip and corporate booking. As MV Ganga Vihar has the capacity to accommodate 70 people, multiple trips are organised when the number of visitors is more.

The hour-long pleasure trip starts at 5pm and takes visitors from Gandhi Ghat to Collectorate Ghat on the upstream journey. On the downstream journey, MV Ganga Vihar crosses Gandhi Setu and goes up to the Inland Waterways Authority jetty before returning to Gandhi Ghat.