Hope to get it floating in ten months
After a long delay of four years the project to launch cruise in Sabarmati River in Gujarat is finally going to see the light of the day. So far authorities have been looking for a firm which could prepare a ‘river-cruise’ like Goa but now they hope to provide this ‘fun, food and float’ combo soon. After closing in with the operator, authorities hope to get it operational in next ten months. Once it happens Sabarmati will add to rivers like Ganges, Hooghly and Narmada in India to have a cruise running.
Sabarmati waterfront has been developed a lot in recent years and hence civic authorities here decided to launch a cruise or a floating restaurant facility. Deputy Commissioner of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), M Thennarasan, says that all formalities for the cruise have been completed. “It will be like a river-cruise that can be seen in Goa. People can have fun in affordable price and spend a happy time enjoying dining facilities,” Thennarasan tells. “People can also take it on rent for organising a party in the floating restaurant.” The cruise will be floating on Sabarmati at the cost of around Rs 3 crore, he said.
Jetty to be built near Sardar Patel bridge
The jetty or the parking area for the river-cruise will be built near Sardar Patel bridge in the banks of river Sabarmati, where people can wait for their turn. Authorities said that two interested parties were short-listed for this facility, one each from Goa and Ahmedabad, but the authorities put their trust in the Goa-based party, which has a vast experience in building such river-cruises.
According to Thennarsan, the Sabarmati River Front Development Corporation Limited (SRFDCL), which has AMC as its mother body, had mooted this facility four years ago. When asked about the delay of four years in the launch of ‘river-cruise’, he said, “We had floated tenders in 2010, but no party with vast experience came to us. This time we got an experienced party, so we have allotted this tender to them.”