Despite the nominal rental fee for pedal boats at Sukhadia Circle, there was an uproar in the Municipal Corporation's Administrative Committee meeting. The boat operator was accused of not depositing the required amount and arbitrarily increasing the number of boats and the rental fee.

During an inspection by corporation officials on June 22,2024, the number of boats and the rate list appeared correct, likely due to prior notice. However, several changes had been made.

In 1992, the Municipal Council gave a contract to a company to run pedal boats at Sukhadia Circle. Soon after, the company filed a stay order and several lawsuits against the council, making things complicated. Eventually, a court ruled against the council, leading to a settlement at the government level. The company then withdrew all lawsuits, and the government extended their contract until 2027.

Amount Not Yet Deposited

Because of these legal issues, council officials neglected the area. Recently, in a board meeting, councilors claimed the operator had increased the number of boats and rental fees without permission and hadn't paid the required amount. The board suggested investigating and taking action according to the rules.

The operator was instructed to operate 25 pedal boats, increase the rent by 10% annually, and deposit it. However, this year's amount has not yet been deposited. The nominal rent set at Rs 9,000/- per month in the 1992 tender should have increased annually by 10%. Currently, the operator deposits Rs 2.09 lakh annually, about Rs 17,000/- per month. Several contractors are waiting to operate the boats after 2027, when the new board will issue a new contract for the location.

Source: Rajasthan Patrika