Imagine having dinner on a boat cruising across a lake in Hyderabad, or spending a night aboard a luxury houseboat at Nagarjuna Sagar or Somasila in Telangana. That could soon become part of the State’s tourism landscape, with the Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation (TGTDC) inviting private agencies to develop and operate floating restaurants, dine-in cruise boats and luxury houseboats at six water bodies across the State.

The projects are being offered under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, with private developers expected to invest in and operate the facilities under a 10-year licence.

Where will they come up?

The proposed floating dining experiences are planned at three water bodies in and around Hyderabad including the Ibrahimpatnam Cheruvu, Kokapet Lake and Malkam Cheruvu.

Each floating restaurant or dine-in cruise is expected to have a 100-person capacity, including passengers and crew. Further away from the city, TGTDC is looking at Nagarjuna Sagar, Somasila and Ramappa Lake for luxury houseboats. Each houseboat will have to provide at least five bedrooms

₹5-crore minimum investment

The plan is not simply to put boats on the water. Private developers will have to procure or develop the vessels and install the interiors, furniture, electrical and electronic systems, equipment and other infrastructure needed to operate them.

The minimum investment has been fixed at ₹5 crore for each facility at each location, with no upper limit on investment. TGTDC has also stipulated that the vessels should meet at least three-star hotel and hospitality standards in terms of their interiors and amenities.

Private operators will pay tourism department

Under the arrangement, the private developer will not simply receive the project from TGTDC. Instead, it will pay an annual licence fee to the tourism corporation. Bidders will quote their annual licence fee above the reserve amount specified in the tender, and the quoted amount will increase by 5% every year. The licence fee will be paid in monthly instalments. The licence will run for 10 years from the date of commercial operation, with an option for another five years, subject to satisfactory performance and compliance with the agreement.

What will TGTDC do?

While the private agency will be responsible for developing and running the facilities, TGTDC says it will support the developer in securing the necessary permissions and clearances from various government departments and local authorities. The list includes municipal authorities, HMDA, Cyberabad Municipal Corporation, HYDRAA, Telangana State Pollution Control Board, irrigation and fire departments, among others.

Telangana Tourism Development Corporation mandates strict safety protocols for boating operations across the State