Jammu and Kashmir's water transport authority has brought the first imported luxury boat for a cruise on the Jhelum river with an aim to reviving water transport in Kashmir. The 30-seater ''Bus Boat'' is currently undergoing trial runs on the river since July 10 this year.

Besides the ''Bus Boat'', Sukhnag Enterprises, a marine equipment supplier firm, has also commissioned a 10-12 seater luxury pontoon boat and a 14-seater rescue boat in the Jhelum river. The 'Bus Boat' and the rescue boat had been procured from a New Zealand-based company named Mac while the luxury pontoon boat has been shipped from the United States, informed Imran Malik, Director of Sukhnag Enterprises.

The purpose of this new developmental step is to revive the decades-old water transport culture on the Jhelum river.

"It is an initiative by the government of Jammu and Kashmir for the revival of water transport. This fibreglass boat has been made keeping in the mind the current needs of the people. The boat has air conditioning, music system and television as well small conference facilities. This is an optimum solution to decongest roads," Malik of Sukhnag Enterprises told ANI news agency. 

The endeavor is part of a scheme under the Prime Minister's Development Programme (PMDP) aimed at integrated theme-based infrastructure development of tourist sites to promote domestic and international tourism.

Kashmir is already famous for its shikara boat rides on Dal Lake in Srinagar, and now luxury cruise in the Bus Boat will also play a major role in attracting tourists, NDTV said.