Brakes have been applied to Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal’s Harike Water Cruise due to low water level days after it was launched with much fan-fare.
Rs 11 crore amphibious bus was set to sail on Monday at Harike wetland near Amritsar. “The activity will have to halt for 15-20 days as the water level in the reservoir is very low for running the operation of bus,” said Punjab Tourism director Navjot Pal Singh Randhawa.
The announcement came a day after the villagers near the Harike Pattan lake in Ferozepur accused the state government of destroying crops over hundreds of acres by over-flooding the lake. They alleged that extra water was released to facilitate Sukhbir’s smooth cruising.
“At present, the water level in the reservoir has receded and is only 3.5 feet deep. The reason for the low water level is that the main gates of Rajasthan Feeder Canal and Ferozepur Feeder Canal have been raised for repairs, whereby the water from the reservoir is flowing down stream,” he said.
Randhawa added that the minimum water level required for the operations of the Amphibious Bus is six feet. As per the officials of Irrigation Department, the repairs of these gates would be completed in the next 15-20 days, he said.
Nearly two years after it was announced, the Punjab government had launched the amphibious bus, which travels on land and in water.
The bus is being run by the Punjab Tourism department and tourists coming to the wetland will be able to enjoy its ride both in water and on land. The bus project was criticised by opposition leaders.