Boats lie unused at Diggi Tank in Darbhanga. Picture by Mohan Mahato

Darbhanga, Aug. 24: Nauka Vihar Ghat was supposed to provide boating services to visitors at Diggi Tank. However, since its inauguration in 2005, the facility could never stay afloat.

Eight mechanical boats, including two big, four small and two single-seater boats had been placed for recreation purposes on the premises of Chandradhari Museum at Diggi Tank. But the service is not available.

The boats run on kerosene, which is not easily available in the open market.

The agony of these boats does not stop here. Most of them have been damaged because of their poor upkeep.

Darbhanga Municipal Corporation (DMC), which is supposed to look after the boat service station never really took its responsibility, sources said. The civic body has also not come up with an alternative private agency, which would look after these boats.

Deputy commissioner of DMC Daya Shankar Bahadur told The Telegraph: “The engines of these mechanical boats can run only on kerosene, which is not available in the open market. In such a situation, the DMC needs to convert them into diesel. Both diesel and petrol are easily available in the market.”

He said: “It is difficult to answer why the management bought mechanical boats which could only be run on kerosene.”

Former mayor of Darbhanga Om Prakash Kheria said: “The MP from Darbhanga and former Union minister Ali Asraf Fatmi had released Rs 25 lakh from his area development fund for the installation of these boats in April 2005. And the responsibility of the maintenance of these boats was given to the district administration and the DMC. However, they have failed to maintain the boats at the service station.”

Sources said there is a requirement of 50-200 litres of kerosene for running these mechanical boats, which might be available. However, negligence on the part of the district administration has damaged these boats.

Rambabu Yadav, who had come to see the place from Mabbi village on the outskirts of the district, said: “I had come to see the museum and wanted to go for boating but I learnt that the place has been locked since its inauguration. If boating services are provided, it will be a good source of recreation for the people.”