From July 2, Floating Restaurant for locals, tourists at Gujarat’s Sabarmati river

New Delhi: In a bid to enhance Ahmedabad’s appeal as worldwide tourist attraction, a floating restaurant will be launched on Sabarmati River on July 2, providing a rare Mumbai & Goa style experience in the city for, locals & tourists alike.

The floating restaurant cruise, to be operated by Sabarmati Riverfront Development Project Limited (SRFDCL), will be virtually inaugurated by Home Minister Amit Shah on July 2.

SRFDCL will run the floating restaurant cruise as part of a public-private partnership. It cost Rs 10 crore to build this floating restaurant cruise. After three months of construction, the boat left Umargam in Valsad in February and made its way to the Sabarmati riverbank. The Chairman of the Standing Committee, Hitesh Barot said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s development of the riverside fostered his desire for cruise restaurants on the Sabarmati river.

Starting at the Sardar Bridge and ending at the Gandhi Bridge, the 90-minute journey will have live music and entertainment for passengers to enjoy. The cruise will be covered on top but open on the sides. It will feature a roof so tourists may eat peacefully throughout the rainy season also.

The ship will serve lunch and supper. Time slots for lunch are between 12 and 1:20 and 1:45 and 3:15, while those for dinner are between 7:15 and 8:45 and 9:15 and 10:30. Lunchtime on the top deck, facing one side, offers a glimpse of the Sabarmati River. The kitchen will be in the back of the cruise which is 30 metres long and 10 metres wide. Food for the restaurant will be made outside and brought in. On the cruise, only fresh foods that need to be cooked on-site will be cooked. The cost for the cruise tour is Rs. 2,000 per head.

After a successful trial run, the cruise on Sabarmati River is set to become one of the most luxurious in all of Asia. On July 10, ticket sales for the trip will begin. Tickets may be purchased online, in person, or via a travel agency, while a specific booking website is available only for riverside cruises.