Water sports along the Ganga to boost tourism

An annual Ganga Rally and other water sports are being planned to develop water tourism in a big way along the Ganga River in Uttar Pradesh.

Tourist places along the banks of the Ganga will also be developed through water transport.

Two survey teams from Atal Ghat of Kanpur to Prayagraj by boat and road routes will study the modalities and look for locations which can be developed for specific water sports.

Besides, the survey will also take into account the availability of mobile network coverage on the entire route as well as the distance at which nearest medical, emergency and police facilities were available.

One survey team will take the river route while the other will take the road route.

Neeraj Srivastava, the coordinator of development work related to Kanpur and secretary of Kanpur Boat Club, said that 'Ganga Water Rally 'will have about 50 players, participants and about 30 other team managers.

"For the rally, the first stop will be Buxar in Unnao, second in Dalmau in Rae Bareli, third at Kalakankar in Pratapgarh, fourth at Shringverpur in Prayagraj and the fifth and last at Prayagraj Boat Club in Prayagraj. The survey of the river route before organizing a five-day Ganga rally is necessary," he said.

"The route of the Ganga stream through the river, the water flow, the depth of the water and the places of short rest in between each section will also be identified," he said.

Kanpur divisional commissioner Raj Shekhar said that the district magistrates of 'Madhya Margiya' districts, including Unnao, Rae Bareli, Pratapgarh and Prayagraj have been instructed to rope in sub-divisional magistrates and police officers of their respective districts.