Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: Assam Bengal Navigation is teaming up with global luxury operator Scenic Group to overhaul river cruising on the Ganga and Brahmaputra. Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal confirmed the deal on September 16 after hosting a New Delhi meeting with Scenic founder Glen Moroney and Assam Bengal Navigation Managing Director Ashish Phookan. The plan carries a price tag of Rs 750 to 800 crore over the next ten years.
Big money is moving. This investment aims to bring Indian cruise standards up to a global level. Sonowal stated on X, "India's revived and rapidly improving inland waterways are now rightfully attracting major global players." Assam Bengal Navigation has run these routes since 2003, featuring stops at Majuli and Kaziranga.
The central government is pushing hard to turn the Brahmaputra into a massive economic and tourism corridor. Officials announced plans back in March 2026 for new cruise terminals at Biswanath Ghat and Neamati. Construction is also slated for an elevated corridor linking Pandu Port to National Highway-27 to boost logistics along National Waterway-2.
India proved the viability of these routes in 2023. The MV Ganga Vilas successfully navigated from Varanasi to Dibrugarh, crossing through the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route. Now, the government expects this fresh influx of capital to cement the region as a top destination for luxury travelers.
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