Ahmedabad: The services of Sabarmati River Cruise, a floating restaurant in river Sabarmati are suspended for indefinite period due to low water level in the river. The restaurant is shut for last two days and it will reopen only after the level of water in river goes up and stabliize. The cruise is parked outside its office on the Sabarmati riverfront West at present.

It is not for the first time that the cruise is non-0perational in monsoon. Even in previous monsoon, the cruise service was halted for some period due to low water level. The cruise requires certain water level in the river to operate.

Amdavad Municipal Corproation(AMC) discharge water from river Sabarmati to downstream of Vasna barrage and keeps the level low for fast water discharge from across the city in case of rainfall beyond 2 inches in short span.  Rain water from almost entire city flows to the river Sabarmati. If water level in Sabarmati is greater and above the rain water discharging ducts, the rain water discharge would be slower, creating prolonged water logging situation in case of rainfall above 2 inches in a short span. Therefore AMC deliberately discharges water, by opening the gates of Vasna barrage and maintain low water level in river in the early phase of monsoon. A heavy cruise vehicle therefore can’t be operated in low level river water.

Sabarmati River Cruise generally takes two rounds in the river during lunch and dinner times daily. However due to low level water and related growth of vagetation on the surface, the cruise services are suspended. Sabarmati river cruise is Gujarat’s one of only two cruises operating in river. The other cruise operating is in river Narmada near the Statue of Unity. DeshGujarat