A cruise on Gujarat's Sabarmati river soon

Adding to the exotic charm of Sabarmati waterfront - Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pet project- civic authorities in Ahmedabad have decided to launch a cruise or a floating restaurant facility.

The project was in a limbo as authorities could not find a firm that could prepare a 'river-cruise' like in Goa but now they hope to provide this 'fun, food and float' combo soon.

According to the Deputy Commissioner of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), M Thennarasan, the river-cruise will start floating in Sabarmati in next ten months, for which all formalities have been completed.

"It will be like a river-cruise that can be seen in Goa. People can have fun at an affordable price and spend a good time enjoying dining facilities," Thennarasan told PTI.

"People can also take it on rent for organising a party in the floating restaurant," Thennarasan addded. The cruise ship will be floating on Sabarmati at the cost of around Rs 3 crore (Rs 30 million), he said.

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, he said.

"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," he said.

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." 

Photographs, courtesy: Sabarmati Riverfront