Boat house at Valankulam in Coimbatore ceases operations after poor patronage

The boat house at Valankulam in Coimbatore, one of the two boat houses in the city, has recently ceased operations following poor patronage.

As part of the Smart Cities Mission, the Coimbatore Corporation took up beautification works at the Valankulam lake bund at ₹65.93 crore. The Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) introduced boating in August 2022 with 24 watercrafts, including pedal boat, motorboat and jet ski. According to official data, the facility generated ₹33.3 lakh revenue in 2023–24.

However, officials said the revenue was not enough to cover operational expenses, and the facility made losses for the past two years. District Tourism Officer Jagadeeshwari said lack of parking and basic amenities such as toilets proved to be major drawbacks. “The operating cost was high, but only a handful of people came on weekends. We had to keep the boat house open every day, which was unsustainable. Water hyacinth also affected operations,” she said.

Regular visitors to the lake also pointed to poor upkeep. “The Corporation does not maintain the lake spaces properly. Pathways are not clean, benches and play equipment are broken, toilets are not maintained. In Ukkadam Lake too, activities like zip line and zip cycling are used by fewer persons. Unless maintenance improves, such facilities will not attract the public,” said K. Vellingiri, a regular walker.

Corporation Commissioner M. Sivaguru Prabakaran said an alternative parking space was identified near the lake, but it did not work out for TTDC.

On maintenance, he said the company contracted to manage all facilities at the eight lakes developed under the Smart Cities Mission—responsible for keeping pathways clean, repairing amenities, and carrying out upkeep using revenue from these places—had failed to deliver. “We issued a termination order, but the contractor has approached the court. As for the zip line and zip cycling at Ukkadam Lake, the private operator has requested a shift in location since the current site attracts fewer people,” he added.