HYDERABAD: Boating services in Hussainsagar kept the cash register of the state tourism department ringing on Independence Day as thousands of visitors who came to take part in the diamond jubilee celebrations of freedom also enjoyed a joyride around the imposing Buddha statue in the middle of the lake.
The day’s collection from boating alone stood at a whopping Rs.9.5 lakh, taking the department officials by surprise. On regular days and weekends, the average collection from boating is around `2 lakh.
The Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation (TSTDC) has been providing numerous boat services for tourists in this lake from Lumbini Park, which is on the banks of the lake since 1994. Hussainsagar has been a special attraction on the tourist map of Hyderabad.
The boat rides added extra zing to the Independence Day celebrations with some visitors getting down to take a closer look at the Buddha statue while others just enjoyed the fun of sailing. Mechanized boats took visitors to the statue made of Gibraltar rock, stopped there for a few minutes and dropped the visitors back.
The main boats providing services in the lake include Khairunnisa, a premier big-sized boat, Bhagmathi, Rajahamsa and several speed boats.
Managing director of TSTDC, Manohar Rao, told Deccan Chronicle, “This is the highest ever collection at Hussainsagar lake, since boating was introduced in this lake. On August 15, we collected `9.5 lakh. The previous record was `9.2 lakh which was before the lockdown. Usually on holidays when the tourists are high in numbers, we collect around `5 lakh, and on regular days `2 lakh.”
“This huge collection on a single day surprised our officers. The reason could be the state government organising a series of events to celebrate the 75 years of Independence. People across the city took out rallies along with their families and halted here on Tank Bund. The well-decorated boats seem to have attracted the visitors,” he said.
