Cruise, boat house to boost tourism potential in Chilika

Bhubaneswar: Tourists coming to Chilika Lake will soon be able to avail cruise and boat house lodging facilities. Similarly floating restaurants which adorn the backwaters of Kerala will also now be seen in the brackish water lagoon.

A master plan in this regard has been prepared by a consulting firm under Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project (ICZMP) and introduced by the Forest and Environment Department at the State Secretariat on Thursday.

According to sources, in the initial phase, 32 acres of land at Rambha and 80-90 acres at Satpada have been identified by the government where infrastructure for the project will be developed as per the master plan.

Accordingly, the project will be developed in coordination with the Tourism department which has been given the responsibility to collect funds and attract private investors.

“In order to boost the tourism potential of Chilika, a blueprint has been prepared which will offer boating, cruise, floating restaurants and other facilities in the lake,” informed Additional Chief Secretary of Forest & Environment, Suresh Chandra Mohapatra.

Mohapatra further informed that the project work is likely to start by next year.