Steamers to glide on Gomtiscape

COME SEPTEMBER, Lucknowites would be enjoying steamer ride from Kudia Ghat to new Lakshman Mela ground, announced municipal commissioner Ram Bodh Maurya. He said, “It would be a gift from the  LMC to Lucknowites on the eve of Dusshehra, Deepawali and Id.”

As the part of the Gomti beautification plan and to solve the ever increasing problem of transport during busy hours, Lucknow Municipal Corporation has planned to provide water transport to Lucknowites from the month of September. Municipal commissioner Ram Bodh Maurya has ordered floating of tenders for plying of steamers from Kudia Ghat to New Lakshman Mela ground on Built Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis.

He added, “I have directed to start steamer service from Kudia Ghat since the spot already has ferry parking place. The service will also reduce the load on city roads if the trial run of ferry on Gomti waters is successful. In the beginning, we have allowed plying of two ferries, but we can allow more on the route if the experiment is successful,” said Maurya.

The steamer would be allowed to carry 25 to 30 person at a time and LMC would operate the service on no profit and no loss basis,” said Maurya.

To attract the tourists and to develop  the city on the regional tourist map, the LMC has planned a horse riding stretch on the river bank. “Now, tourists don’t have to go all the way to the Mumbai or Goa beaches for the pleasure of horse riding on the shore. The attraction of beaches would be offered right here on the banks of Gomti, which will look like a Mumbai beach. The main attraction is horse riding and people could even learn to ride,” said Maurya.

“As part of the beautification of the Gomti banks, we have planted more than a lakh trees, and are now going to plant about 10,000 trees on the banks of Gomti in front of the Nadwa. We have named it Shraddha Upvan, in which we will create a stretch of nearly 5 kilometres for horse riding. Only tongas and horses would be allowed on that stretch, to add to the beauty of the place and to develop it as one of the main attractions for the tourist,” said Maurya.

LMC tractors and bulldozers have been pressed into service to level the banks of Gomti in front of the Nadwa. Tree plantation has started and many Nadwa students were seen planting trees on their own initiative while many more were keen to plant saplings.