Boating has resumed at Ahmedabad’s Kankaria Lake after a gap of nearly two and a half years, with the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation introducing expanded safety arrangements under Gujarat’s new boating policy and standard operating procedure (SOP). The service has reopened during the Diwali holiday period after approvals and document checks were completed.
Visitors can use speedboats, pontoon boats, shikara boats, gypsy boats and pedal boats at Kankaria. Ticket prices have been fixed between Rs 60 and Rs 300 per person, according to the report by Gujarat Samachar – Ahmedabad. The reopening was formally marked after standing committee chairman Kamlesh Patel gave the go-ahead.
Boating at Kankaria had remained suspended following the January 2024 Harni Lake boat disaster in Vadodara, in which 14 people, including schoolchildren, died after a boat overturned. The state government subsequently directed that boating activities be stopped and prepared a new policy and SOP for their regulated restart.
The Kankaria reopening followed a meeting of the City Waterside Safety Committee on October 31. The meeting reviewed safety arrangements, permissions from different agencies, required certificates and insurance policies submitted for the activity. The committee gave unanimous consent to restart boating after checking the documents and preparations, the report said.
NCC Navy officials also inspected the site and expressed satisfaction with the safety work carried out there. Following the review process, the municipal corporation allowed the tender agency to begin boating and other water-sports activities at the lake.
A 360-degree emergency response centre has been established to monitor the boating area and respond to incidents. CCTV cameras will be used for surveillance, with Fire Department personnel assigned to monitor the feeds. The safety setup also includes more than 350 life jackets, walkie-talkies, a public announcement system and display boards explaining the rules to visitors.
Wearing a life jacket will be mandatory for every visitor using the boating facilities. The arrangements are intended to ensure that assistance can be provided quickly in an emergency, although the report does not provide details of the number of boats, staffing levels during peak hours or the frequency of safety drills.
Dr Sahu, an adviser associated with the zoo, said the required preparations had been completed before reopening and that safety rules would be followed in accordance with the state government’s boating policy and SOP. He said Ahmedabad was the first municipal corporation in the state to restart boating after activities had resumed earlier at Ukai Dam.
The reopening adds a major recreational activity to Kankaria’s public-space offering during the holiday season. Its operation will now depend on continued compliance with the approved safety procedures, mandatory life-jacket use, surveillance and emergency response arrangements.
