Jaitley to dedicate steamboats to cremation ghats in Varanasi

Varanasi

Union Minister Arun Jaitley will dedicate to the public two steamboats that will ferry bodies to cremation ghats on the banks of Ganga during his visit here tomorrow.

“Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will dedicate two steamboats – ‘Jal Shav Vahini’ – tomorrow at Assi ghat in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s constituency,” BJP’s media-in- charge of Varanasi and Eastern UP region Sanjay Bhardwaj said.

PM’s Principal Secretary Nipendra Misra along with other officials will also be present on the occasion, he added.

These boats will ferry bodies without any fee to cremation ghats — Manikarnika and Harishchandra — from Badhua Ghat at Ram Nagar, Raj Ghat and Vishwa Sundari bridge.

“They will help people to reach the ghats which are located in the crowded parts of the city without any hassle,” Bhardwaj added.

These steamboats are donated by Gujarat based Sudhanshu Mehta Foundation. Gujarat Chief Minister and state BJP leaders had flagged off two trucks carrying these boats from Gujarat BJP headquarters.

Inputs from PTI