Rishikesh, 25 Sep: Official sources have indicated that river rafting in the Ganga under the Kaudiyala-Munikireti Eco Tourism Zone will resume from 27 September. The technical team of the Tourism Department along with trained guides carried out a recce run in the river and submitted a report to the administration certifying rafting to be safe. With the date finalised, rafting lovers can hope for a great time ahead in the season.
Every season, lakhs of tourists visit Rishikesh for rafting, generating crores of rupees in revenue for the government. Rafting is a primary source of income for the region around Rishikesh, with several families depending entirely on this activity for their livelihood.
In Rishikesh, rafting on the Ganga is conducted mainly from four points, Kaudiyala, Marine Drive, Shivpuri and Brahmpuri. The longest stretch is from Kaudiyala, covering about 36 kilometres, for which the charge is around Rs 2,000 per person. From Marine Drive, rafting covers 22 kilometres at Rs 1,500 per person. From Shivpuri, an 18-kilometre stretch costs between Rs 800 and Rs 1,000, while from Brahmpuri, the 9-kilometre stretch costs between Rs 600 and Rs 750 per person. Rafting in the Ganga is organised from 1 September to 30 June each year, while it remains closed during the monsoon season due to the rise in level of water because of heavy rains during this period.
