Indian Express 15.11.2009
Municipal body unaware about decaying infrastructure, water quality at Sursagar
Upbeat about restarting the boating facility at Sursagar Lake after 16 years, the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) seems to have forgotten to upgrade the basic infrastructure at the tourist spot.
Sources said while the deal has already been finalised with Dolphin Entertainment to start paddle boat service at Sursagar, facilities like the ticket window room and the platform from where the passengers would get into the boat are in a shambles. The ticket window room is filled with garbage and the platform is stinking with the garbage filth.
The services had been withdrawn after a boat had capsized killing 22 people.
Interestingly, the senior officials are not even aware about the present state of affairs at Sursagar. In fact, the engineers have been asked to fix the broken railing only.
“A meeting was held recently and we have been informed to fix the railing which is damaged. I am not aware about the ticket window room or the filthy water,” said executive engineer (North Zone) F J CharpotThe officials did not have any answer to the stinking water. “To improve the oxygen levels in the water, we have decided to install the rotating fountain and hopefully it would be helpful in removing the stench as well,” said a senior engineer. Sources admitted that earlier input of storm water through proper channels has been stopped after drainage connections were mixed with the storm water channel. “This has stopped the fresh water in flow completely. Further, a huge quantity of china clay due to Ganesh visarjan has further deteriorated the quality of water,” a senior official said.
