If one boards from Delhi, the ticket price for the same category varies from Rs 18,000 to Rs 61,000 per head. "Another advantage with ships available these days is they are modern and well-equipped to ferry 4,000 to 5,000 persons at a time. They can cover the 2,300-odd nautical miles one-side distance between the two port cities within just two-three days," the source added.One nautical mile is equivalent to 1.8km.When asked, MoS for minority affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi , who attended the panel's meeting in Mumbai earlier this week, confirmed that the alternative is being given a thought to. "The panel is exploring all the options available, including seaways, under the new policy. A total of 1.35 lakh Indian devotees undertook the pilgrimage last year.

Source: Times of India April 05, 2017 11:28 UTC