As the tourists are once again making the beeline for Udaipur to celebrate New Years all cooped up within hotels and resorts, the administration has permitted the plying of passenger boats in the lakes of Udaipur.  After the permission to ply boats in Fatehsagar from 19 December, the Pichhola Lake and Goverdhan Sagar lake will also have boats plying in them once again.  The COVID lockdown caused a 9 month anchoring of the boats, hurting the livelyhood of many.

Alongwith giving permission for plying of boats in all the major lakes of Udaipur city, the plying of city buses has also been permittedby the Collector. Earlier, the Commissioner of the UMC has written a letter to the District Collector on the recommendation of Mayor Govind Singh Tak. The reccommendation had said the operators livelihood has been affected for a considerable period of time and now with the last phase of the tourist season, the plying of boats as well as city buses was a need.

The District Collector, in his approval dated Monday 28 December has permitted the plying of boats in Picchola and Goverdhan Sagar as well city buses in Udaipur, with a caveat that social distancing need to be adhered too. Mandatory use of masks, limit of 5 persons at any said location, thermal screening, etc along with other safety protocols will be in place.

The boats will need to keep hand sanitizers, and after each ride, the boat will be completely sanitized. Further, the boat will take passengers to a maximum of 50% of capacity to ensure that distancing is adhered to.

Source: Abdul Latif