Now, go boating on Yediyur Lake

City residents and tourists alike can now enjoy the breathtaking vista around the 1,400-year-old Yediyur Lake in South Bengaluru, as the BBMP launches boating services on the famous waterbody.

Mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun on Saturday inaugurated the eco-friendly boat rides on the historic lake, which attracts several migratory birds during the winter. Yediyur becomes the second lake in the city after Madiwala to have boating services.

For Rs 50, visitors will get half-an-hour of boating on the lake’s clear waters. To avoid noise that could disturb the winged visitors, the BBMP has banned motorised boats.

“The noise of the motorboats can unsettle the migratory birds and the diesel spill could pollute the lake. So, we are only using the pedal boats,” said N R Ramesh, husband of corporator Poornima Ramesh.

The corporator said a youth organisation — Kuvempu Yuvakara Sangha — bought the boats for Rs 12 lakh and is paying Rs 60,000 annual rent to the BBMP to operate the boats on the lake.

Given the lake’s strong Hoysala connections, it is named after the famous queen of that dynasty Shantala Devi, who, as claimed by an inscription, bathed in its waters. All the eight boats in the lake have also been named after various Hoysala kings.

Children below 15 are not allowed without adult supervision, while the use of plastic, smoking and consumption of alcohol are also banned near the waterbody.