Udaipur, March 26, 2025 - Despite strict orders from the High Court, hotel operators in Udaipur are still using petrol and diesel boats in Lake Pichola, which is a major source of drinking water. While government boats have switched to battery-operated models, private hotel boats continue to run on fuel. Udaipur district administration and Municipal Corporation have not taken action against these operators. Instead of making them eco-friendly, the Municipal Corporation is preparing to renew their licenses again on March 31.

Hotels Using Boats for Commercial Tourism

Currently, 78 boats operate in Lake Pichola, out of which only 17 belong to the government. The rest are owned by hotels. These hotels were only allowed to transport tourists to and from their premises, but they are illegally offering full lake tours, which causes revenue loss to the government. Some operators have even started using these boats to ferry local residents to restaurants.

Court Ordered Ban, But No Action Taken

Reports earlier highlighted the need to ban petrol and diesel boats in Fateh Sagar and Pichola Lakes. The High Court ordered the removal of fuel-powered boats within six months. However, even after two years, the district administration and Municipal Corporation have failed to enforce the ban. Hotel operators have not converted a single boat into an eco-friendly one.

Revenue Loss Due to Private Boat Operators

Hotel operators are causing a huge financial loss to the authorities. They pay only Rs 1 to Rs 1.5 lakh per year, while the government boat contract is worth Rs 5.78 crore. Despite these violations, the administration continues to approve their operations under the name of tourism. Meanwhile, the UDA has only invited bids for eco-friendly boats in Fateh Sagar Lake, ignoring Pichola’s issue.

Earlier, the Municipal Corporation canceled the contracts of hotels accessible by road. However, the State Lake Authority ignored this decision, saying that the boats are important for tourism. The State Lake Development Authority had promised to convert these boats into eco-friendly ones but has taken no action in two years.

Source: Media Reports