The Samikhsya Bureau
BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the Silver City Boat Club at Cuttack through virtual mode on Wednesday.
Jyoti Prakash Panigrahi, Minister, Tourism, Bhatruhari Mohatab, MP (Lok Sabha), Subas Singh, MP (Rajya Sabha), Vishal Kumar Dev, Principal Secretary, Tourism, Shreemayee Mishra, Chairperson OTDC, Sachin Ramachandra Jadhav, Director, Tourism and Bhabani Shankar Chayani Collector, Cuttack were present during the inaugural ceremony.
This revamped boat club is created by Odisha Tourism through OTDC with an investment of around Rs.2-crore with a view to promote water-based recretion in river Mahanadi.
The Chief Minister in his virtual address said, “To tap the State’s tourism potential incorporating water bodies, we are rapidly developing tourism and hospitality infrastructure in identified areas. This recreational offering in the mighty Mahanadi river will help in establishing Odisha as a sought-after tourism hub.”
The activities that will be operationalised in the Boat Club include Jet Skis, Speed Boats, Day Cruise, Banana Boat, Inflatable Boat, Water Scooters, Floating café, Kayaking, Canoeing, Pedal Boats, Scuba Diving etc. OTDC will operate and manage the boat club, where operators will be allowed to use the common infrastructure and facilities on a user fee model.
Addressing the gathering, Mahatab requested the Department of Tourism to include the Maritime Museum in the Tourism Map of Odisha and to explore the potential of other nearby tourist locations.
In his addressed Principal Secretary, Tourism Shri Vishal Kumar Dev mentioned about the strategy of development of specific tourist destinations in the entire State.
Addressing the gathering the Tourism Minister said, “This project comes with basic infrastructure to support multiple Water Sports operators and promote water-based tourism offerings in Cuttack and nearby districts.”
