Hyderabad: The boating facility at the Mir Alam Tank in the Nehru Zoological Park (NZP) has been non-operational for the past five months due to an overgrowth of water hyacinth. The issue remained trapped in bureaucratic rigmarole, disappointing people who seek to have a boat ride during their visit to the zoo.
Officials of the tourism department, which manages the facility, wrote to the HMDA in April 2024 requesting it to deploy a floating trash collector (FTC) to address the issue. HMDA officials asked the tourism department to deposit the money first.
When the tourism department pursued the matter further in August, the HMDA said all machines were in use for the Ganesha idol immersion activities. Once these activities are completed, the machines will be redirected to tackle the overgrowth of water hyacinth at Mir Alam Tank.
“The boats have been docked for months now; the engines might have corroded too. Footfall was low since the boating facility is located deep inside the zoo. There were visitors on weekends, but now there are none,” a staff deployed near the Mir Alam Tank told Deccan Chronicle.
The charges for the mechanised boat are Rs 50 for adults and Rs 30 for children below 10 years, while the speed boat costs Rs 400.
