From Chennai To Sri Lanka…
Chennai: On Monday, Union Shipping Minister Mr. Sarbananda flagged off India's first international cruise vessel.
Nearly 750 passengers sailed on a cruise from Chennai to Sri Lanka on a five-day voyage.
The cruise has the capacity to accommodate 3,000 passengers, and was flagged off from Chennai port will connect three ports- Triconmalle, Hambantota, and Jaffna in Sri Lanka.
"We are focusing on turning Chennai into a hub for cruise tourism," the Minister said.
The ship offers casino games, playing which passengers can win or lose money.
Although the game is illegal in the country, the operators say that it would be played only in international waters.
Justifying this, Sarbanamda Sonowal said, "Casino is required for a modern outlook and for cruise liners to prosper".
Last year, the Puducherry government denied entry to this ship objecting to casinos among others when the same vessel offered the Chennai - Puducherry - Vishakapatnam cruise.
Largely seen as a cargo port, the Chennai port is in desperate need of state of art cruise passenger amenities, immigration, and baggage claim infrastructure.
"We will develop the facilities at Chennai Port. People should have good landing facilities. They need to feel at home," the Minister said.
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