Nagpur: Ambazari Lake will be developed as a major tourist destination and the state govt will provide funds for the project, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Thursday after inspecting the historic waterbody and taking a boat ride in it.Praising Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) for successfully clearing the lake of water hyacinth, Fadnavis said Ambazari was an important part of Nagpur’s cultural heritage and had historically served as a source of water supply to the city. He also backed the step to introduce kayaking and other watersports at the lake.During his visit, mayor Neeta Thakre urged Fadnavis to hand back Ambazari Garden to NMC from Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC), saying the civic body wanted to develop the garden and lake as an integrated tourism destination.“Fadnavis asked the civic body to send a detailed proposal and assured that he would look into the demand,” Thakre told TOI.The mayor said Ambazari Garden had earlier been handed over to MTDC and that NMC could begin redevelopment once its possession was returned. The proposal includes reopening the garden for public activities such as morning walks and developing watersports facilities in the lake.A senior NMC official said the govt had handed over the garden to MTDC, which subsequently leased it for development. “The lease will have to be terminated before the garden can be handed back to NMC. The civic body has already submitted a proposal seeking its return,” the official said.Fadnavis inspected the garden and instructed civic officials to initiate the process for its beautification. He also praised NMC’s special campaign to remove water hyacinth from Ambazari Lake. The weed had spread across large portions of the waterbody, affecting swimmers and raising concerns over the ecological condition of the lake.NMC used JCB machines and weed harvesters to clear the lake. Fadnavis also interacted with students practising for kayaking competitions and felicitated them.Officials said a sewage treatment plant being developed by Wadi Nagar Panchayat is expected to start soon. Once operational, treated water will flow into Ambazari Lake and help prevent pollution from the MIDC area, they said.The proposed Ambazari development is part of NMC’s broader plan to upgrade the city’s gardens. The civic body maintains around 75 gardens and is preparing a Detailed Project Report for their development to be submitted to the state govt.
