Gujarat boat tragedy: Contract of firm operating recreation zone terminated

VADODARA: The contract of a firm managing a lake recreation zone in Gujarat’s Vadodara was terminated by the local civic body following the boat tragedy in which 12 students and two teachers were killed, an official said on Saturday.

The boat, carrying students and teachers on a picnic, capsized on Thursday afternoon in Motnath lake in Harni area, with subsequent probes showing the vessel was overloaded and the service operator had not provided enough life jackets.

The contract of Kotia Projects, the firm which developed, operated and maintained the lakefront for recreational purposes, has been terminated by the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC), the civic body’s standing committee chairperson Sheetal Mistry said.

Gujarat police on Friday said it had arrested Bhimsingh Yadav, Vedprakash Yadav and Rashmikant Prajapati, who are partners in Kotia Projects, as well as the firm’s manager Shantilal Solanki. Two boat operators, identified as Nayan Gohil and Ankit Vasava, were also held in connection with the boat capsize.

“The lakefront was developed under the PPP model and the firm had to pay Rs 3,01,111 annually to VMC. The contract was terminated by the municipal commissioner due to breach of conditions. The premises has been sealed. The lease period was for 30 years,” Mistry said. Motnath lake is spread over an area of 55,164 square metres and the contract was given in 2017 and development works were completed in 2019, Mistry said.