The operations of Sabarmati River Cruise, a floating restaurant in Ahmedabad, are suspended for an indefinite period due to the low water level in the river. The restaurant has been closed for the last two days and is unlikely to reopen until the river’s water level rises and stabilises. The cruise is currently stationed outside its office on the Sabarmati Riverfront West.
This is not the first time that the cruise has been closed during the monsoon season. Even in the previous monsoon, the cruise service had to be stopped for some time due to low water levels. For the cruise to function properly, the river’s water level has to reach a certain level.
When rainfall exceeds two inches in a short period of time, Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC) releases water from the Sabarmati River downstream of the Vasna Barrage and maintains a low level to facilitate rapid water discharge from the whole city. Rainwater from almost the entire city flows to the river Sabarmati.
Rainfall that falls above two inches in a short period of time may cause a lengthy water-logging scenario if the Sabarmati water level is higher and above the rainwater discharging ducts. As a result, AMC purposefully releases water by opening the Vasna Barrage gates and keeping the river’s water level low during the early monsoon season. Therefore, it is not possible to run a big cruise vehicle in low-level river water.
The Sabarmati River Cruise typically covers two rounds in the river during lunch and dinner times every day. However, the cruise services have been halted due to low water levels and the subsequent growth of vegetation on the surface.
The Sabarmati River Cruise is Gujarat’s one of the two cruises operating in the river. The second cruise is operating in the Narmada River near the Statue of Unity.
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