Bhagalpur: Rising water levels in the Ganga have slowed the journey of the ‘Rajmahal Ganga Cruise’ from Kolkata to Varanasi, with the tourist vessel remaining halted in the river near Bhagalpur for the past week.The cruise operators are waiting for the water level to recede and river conditions to become favourable before allowing the vessel to proceed towards Varanasi. As the wait continued, the operators decided to disembark the foreign tourists as a precautionary measure, sources said.The foreign tourists were subsequently sent to Patna by train. Arrangements were made for their stay in Patna and for their onward travel to tourist destinations by road, sources said.A total of 11 tourists, including nine foreigners, and 31 crew members were on board the cruise. The foreign tourists were from New Zealand, Britain and the Netherlands, while two Indian nationals were also on board.The cruise reached Bhagalpur last week and was halted after sailing beneath the Vikramshila Setu. According to officials, the rising water level under the Simaria bridge in Begusarai district has reduced the clearance available for the cruise, making it difficult to pass safely.“The cruise has been stopped at Bhagalpur as a precautionary measure in view of the high water level of the Ganga at Simaria,” said Kumar Neelu, inspector and team commander of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) at Bhagalpur.He said the Ganga water level had fallen by around 1.5 to 2 feet in the past 24 hours but was still flowing above the danger mark. “The cruise can proceed after the water level recedes further and conditions become favourable,” he said.Neelu said the SDRF was continuously monitoring the safety of the cruise and its crew, with personnel also patrolling the area around the vessel.Ranjit Kumar, associated with the Rajmahal Ganga Cruise management, said a decision on resuming the journey would be taken after assessing the river conditions. “There is a possibility that the cruise may resume sailing in the next two to three days if conditions become favourable. However, the final decision will be taken only after assessing the situation,” he said.The Rajmahal Ganga Cruise has been operating for the past several months, taking tourists to religious, historical and cultural destinations in West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh along the Ganga. The cruise halts at important locations, with tourists also visiting places on land near the river and its embankments.
