Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Sunday virtually launched ‘Akshar River Cruise’ on the Sabarmati riverfront in Ahmedabad.
‘Akshar River Cruise’ on the Sabarmati riverfront is developed by Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and the Sabarmati Riverfront Development Corporation Limited.
In his address, Shah said through this Akshar River Cruise, the Gujarat Government and the Municipal Corporation have given a new gift to the citizens of Ahmedabad city, today.
The Union Home Minister said that when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat, he only first time imagined and planned the riverfront in India and it was developed and completed during his tenure as Chief Minister.
Shah said that the riverfront is not only popular in Ahmedabad but across India and the world and has emerged as an attraction centre of tourism.
The Union Home Minister said that water level has not only gone up due to riverfront, but it has also emerged as a centre of various social and cultural activities for everyone including senior citizens, children and youth.
He said this luxury river-cruise will be a new attraction for all the citizens of Ahmedabad. Shah added that this cruise is developed under Public Private Partnership by Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and Sabarmati Riverfront Development Corporation Limited.
This cruise is the first passenger catamaran built in India under Make in India at a cost of Rs 15 crore with twin engines and it can safely travel for one and a half hours.
He said this 30-meter cruise would emerge as a centre of attraction for all the citizens of Ahmedabad and the country visiting the city. Shah said that the cruise has a capacity of 165 passengers and also has a restaurant which will definitely attract the people.
Shah said the cruise has been designed keeping in mind the convenience of the citizens and it is equipped with 180 life safety jackets, fire safety and emergency rescue boat.
He said during his tenure as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi had always given priority to the tourism of Ahmedabad and Gujarat.
Shah added that due to several initiatives taken in the field of tourism by Narendra Modi, Gujarat and its two major tourist centres have emerged prominently on the country’s tourism map.
He said by investing crores of rupees, an ecosystem was developed for lakhs of tourists coming to Gujarat, good roads were constructed to connect all pilgrimages and borders, and roads connecting airports to tourist places were also built to provide the facilities to tourists.