Boat operations suspended in Varanasi amid rising Ganga levels

Boat operations were suspended in Varanasi on July 30, 2026, due to rising Ganga water levels.

Assistant commissioner of police (Dashashwamedh) Atul Anjan Tripathi cited safety of pilgrims and tourists as the top priority.

The Ganga was flowing at 61.84 metres in Varanasi, rising at 10 mm per hour, with warning level at 70.262 metres and danger mark at 71.262 metres.

Boats were anchored at Dashashwamedh Ghat, Maa Sheetla Ghat, Assi Ghat, and other ghats; many tourists were unable to take boat rides.

More than 1,400 boats operate on the Ganga in Varanasi, providing livelihood to thousands of boatmen and serving as a major tourist attraction.