Guwahati, Sept. 10: A new luxury vessel, S.B. Suikapha, under licence from Inland Water Transport Department, was launched on the Brahmaputra here today.
The boat will be run by Umananda Tourist River Cruise and Houseboat Service, a newly established private tourist service company of the state. For the first time here, tourists will also be able to avail of food and other luxuries.
"The ship will initially run between Kachari Ghat and Umananda temple here. Very soon we will expand the service to Aswaklanta temple, Doul Govinda temple and Sualkuchi. Our aim is to develop river tourism," owner of Umananda Tourist River Cruise and Houseboat Service Partha Pratim Gogoi told The Telegraph.
"We have planned to expand the service to Pobitora wildlife sanctuary, as it runs along the Brahmaputra and is near Guwahati. We have plans to carry tourists on the Brahmaputra to Hajo where vehicles will be provided to visit other tourist destinations. Only one vessel has been introduced now but soon we will add to the fleet," Gogoi said.
Praising the initiative of introducing the luxury boat on the Brahmaputra, Assam inland water transport department director Bharat Bhushan Dev Choudhury said, "We always encourage such initiatives. This boat has got licence from the inland water transport department. As the department does not have enough boats to meet the demand of tourists, such initiatives will boost river tourism on the Brahmaputra. If anyone comes forward with concrete plans, we will certainly help and encourage them."
S.B. Suikapha has 65 seats where tickets will range from Rs 60 to Rs 5,000 depending on the distance and time of cruise. Tourists will be able to avail of a river cruise in and around Umananda temple for Rs 300 whereas cruises to the silk town of Sualkuchi will be available for Rs 2,500 and a package tour to Aswaklanta temple will cost Rs 1,500.
The city has another similar floating restaurant - Alfresco Grand - operational for over one-and-a-half decades now.
Two more luxury barges - Charaidew and Mahabahu - have been operational for tourists on the Brahmaputra between Guwahati and Kaziranga National Park and Dibrugarh and the park, respectively, for the past few years.