The lush green ambiance and the placid waters of the age-old tank are the major attractions at Boat Club Park in the city. Abutting the Pithapuram Road near Nagamallithota junction, the park is attracting people of all ages.
Being developed as a full-fledged park by the municipal corporation about seven years ago, the park witnesses huge rush in the evening hours. Besides regular walkers, families too prefer to spend their leisure time in the park that is located in the heart of the city.
Though the boating facility arranged by the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) has to be the major attraction in the park, the reality is the other way round. Most of the people feel the boat fare is exorbitant and prefer to enjoy the serene environment in the park, rather than opting for a boat ride.
The fare is Rs. 40 per adult and Rs. 30 per child and for the motorboat it is Rs. 300 per trip for four persons. “The ride is hardly 15-20 minutes and I feel it is waste of money,” says G. Radhakrishna of Santhi Nagar.
There are hardly any takers for the pedal boats, while the motorboat ride requires a long wait. The boat won’t start unless there are 10 people on board. The APTDC has haired a couple of employees to sell the tickets and to maintain the boats. They complained of not getting salaries in time and the boats lack regular maintenance.
“We are wondering why these people are charging exorbitant fares for the boat ride,” says M. Pallavi, a resident of Bank Colony. There is a walking track around the tank and the regular walkers make it a point to undertake at least two rounds of walk every day.
