Nashik: The Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) is expected to restart boat services in Gandhi Talav near Ramkund on river Godavari by November.The boat service was operational up to 2019, but was closed after the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020. The civic body has started the process to deploy contractors to operate boats for tourists and citizens visiting the Godavari. The NMC administration on Wednesday conducted an open auction for alotting a contract to operate the boating facility for the next five years. A contractor, who had quoted the highest rate of Rs 1.87 lakh per year, won the bid. The contractor concerned will pay this amount per year to the civic body and will be given the boating contract for five years, said NMC officials. The contractor will deploy three boats initially and the number of boats will increase depending upon the response from citizens.We also published the following articles recentlySWTD to launch premium boat services to tour backwatersThe state water transport department in Kochi plans to launch premium passenger and tourist boat services to attract more passengers and tourists. The department will introduce a boat named Indra with premium facilities, followed by two passenger boats. The Indra boat will feature push-back seats, safety features, and attractive interiors. The cost for a three-hour journey on Indra will be around Rs 300 to Rs 400. The department also plans to introduce electric-solar boats with high-capacity battery backup and facilities for passengers. These initiatives aim to improve ridership and revolutionize the water transport sector.Dolphin boat trips begin at Sinquerim jettyDolphin spotting boat trips from Sinquerim jetty in Calangute have begun for the season, after rough sea conditions caused operators to miss out on the busy Gandhi Jayanti weekend. Around 40 boats are currently operational, with more expected as boat owners complete the online registration process. The registration process has now moved entirely online, causing some operators to take longer to complete. The booking counter at Sinquerim is also being computerised, and the implementation of GST will see ticket prices rise from Rs 300 to Rs 350.Boat capsizes, 4 fishermen missing in seaFour fishermen are missing after their fishing boat capsized off the Munambam coast in Kochi. Three fishermen were rescued, while a joint search operation is being conducted by the Coast Guard, coastal police, and fisheries authorities to find the missing individuals. The boat, named Nanma, overturned while returning from a fishing trip. Efforts are underway to locate the four missing fishermen.

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