Kankaria Lake boating and water sports have resumed in Ahmedabad with enhanced safety measures, including passenger insurance, dedicated rescue boats, mandatory life jackets, CCTV surveillance and round-the-clock emergency support.
The framework provides Rs 10 lakh of insurance cover for every passenger and Rs 2 crore for each boat. One rescue boat will be assigned for every 10 passenger boats operating at the lake, while boat operators must carry twice the number of life jackets required for their vessels.
More than 350 life jackets will be available at the recreational facility. Life jackets will be mandatory for passengers, according to the safety arrangements outlined for the resumption of services.
Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation standing committee chairman Kamlesh Patel said surveillance and emergency response had been strengthened through CCTV cameras and body cameras. An emergency response centre with a 360-degree view has also been established, where personnel from Ahmedabad Fire and Emergency Services will monitor CCTV footage.
The arrangements also include round-the-clock ambulance services, walkie-talkies and a public announcement system. Safety signboards explaining dos and don’ts have been installed around the lake, while fire department staff will remain available to respond to emergencies.
The AMC granted permission to the service provider after the City Waterside Safety Committee approved the arrangements at a meeting held on October 31. NCC Navy officials inspected the facilities, while the civic body scrutinised the required permissions, certificates and insurance policies before allowing boating to restart.
The resumption follows a prolonged suspension that began after the January 2024 Harni Lake tragedy in Vadodara. Twelve children and two teachers died when a boat carrying school students capsized. The incident led the Gujarat government to introduce a comprehensive boating policy and standard operating procedure for improving safety at recreational facilities located on water bodies across the state.
At Kankaria Lake, the new operating framework places responsibility across several layers, including the service provider, the municipal corporation, the fire and emergency services department and the City Waterside Safety Committee. The combination of insurance, equipment requirements, surveillance and emergency response is intended to govern both routine operations and accident response.
The civic body’s approval is subject to the safety arrangements and documentation reviewed before reopening. Fire department personnel will remain available at the site, while the emergency response centre will provide continuous monitoring of the lake’s CCTV network.
