Gujarat high court forces civic body to open lake inauguration of which has been delayed for long.
More than a year after its completion, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has announced the opening of the Naroda Lake. However, the entry to the lake will not be free.
But there is no need to worry, for the civic body has ensured that the fee is nominal.
The rides and other entertainment options at the lake will be charged extra. Incidentally, the Gujarat high court had directed the civic body to open the lake for the public within three months.
AMC had awarded a contract to Karia Builders Pvt Ltd to develop the lake on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis in April 2006.
The project was completed within the three years time limit set by the civic body. Moreover, it was to be inaugurated by chief minister Narendra Modi in November 2009. However, the lake was not opened for almost a year.
One Jayram Desai then filed a petition in the high court, asking that the lake be thrown open to the citizens. However, the high court disposed of the petition after the civic body's assurance that the Naroda Lake Development Project will be opened by August 15, 2009.
But the civic body failed to fulfil its undertaking given to the court. So, Desai again approached the court following which it gave an oral order to the civic body on May 10, to inaugurate the project within three months.
The Naroda Lake project also boasts of attractions like family train, various rides and gaming zones.
Asit Vora, chairman of the AMC's standing committee, said that the pending maintenance work of the project will be completed within 15 days and there will be a trial run for another fortnight before its formal inauguration.
Karia Builders have been given the contract to operate and maintain the project for a year. The civic body rationalised the rates including entry fees and other charges presented by the builder. As per the memorandum of understanding signed by the civic body with the builder, AMC will award four plots to the contractor in lieu of development of Naroda Lake and office of east zone.
"Approximate development cost of the project is around Rs16 crore," said Vora. However, Vora said that so far he had no idea of the size and price of the plot to be handed over to the builder. Around 87% of the income from the Naroda Lake will go to the AMC's coffers. The Congress had opposed the civic body's move to impose entry fee at Naroda Lake.
"Naroda and surrounding areas are home to middle class people and they should not be taxed unnecessarily," said Hasankhan Pathan, a Congress member in the standing committee.
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