TGTDC Invites Bids for Floating Restaurants at Kokapet, Malkam Cheruvu and Other Lakes

The Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation has invited private agencies to develop and operate floating restaurants, dine-in cruise boats, and luxury houseboats across six water bodies in Telangana, including Kokapet Lake, Malkam Cheruvu, and Ibrahimpatnam Cheruvu in and around Hyderabad.

The projects are set to be executed under a public-private partnership model. Selected private operators will be responsible for funding, building, and managing the facilities under an initial 10-year licence, with an option to extend the agreement for another five years based on performance and compliance.

Under the proposal, floating dining experiences and cruise vessels are planned for Ibrahimpatnam Cheruvu, Kokapet Lake, and Malkam Cheruvu. Each floating restaurant or dine-in cruise boat must have a total capacity of 100 people, covering both passengers and crew members.

Beyond the Hyderabad region, the corporation plans to introduce luxury houseboats at Nagarjuna Sagar, Somasila, and Ramappa Lake. Each houseboat will be required to offer a minimum of five bedrooms to cater to overnight tourists.

Private concessionaires must commit to a minimum investment of ₹5 crore for each facility at every designated location, with no cap placed on total expenditure. The private developers are tasked with procuring or building the vessels and installing all required interiors, furniture, electrical systems, electronic setups, and operational machinery. The tourism corporation has stipulated that all vessels must adhere to at least three-star hospitality and hotel benchmarks regarding interior quality and passenger amenities.

In addition to capital investments, private partners will pay an annual licence fee to the tourism corporation in monthly instalments. Bidders must quote an amount above a reserve price specified in the tender documents, with the annual fee escalating by 5% each year.

While the private operators will handle development and day-to-day operations, the corporation stated that it will assist developers in obtaining required statutory clearances and permits. Approvals will be sought from multiple civic and regulatory bodies, including local municipal authorities, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority, the Cyberabad Municipal Corporation, HYDRAA, the Telangana State Pollution Control Board, the Irrigation Department, and the Fire Department.