Jamshedpur, March 28: Tourists planning to go boating at Chandil dam will have to hold their horses as the Seraikela-Kharsawan district administration has postponed the bidding process for boating operations during 2005-2006.

The decision was taken following reports of a probable clash between Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters during the bidding, which was scheduled at 1 pm toady at the office of Chandil circle officer J. Kispotta.

Kispotta said the bidding was called off following an order from Seraikela-Kharsawan deputy commissioner Agapit Soren. ?The district administration received information that JMM and BJP activists are desperately trying to bag the contract for conducting boating trips at Chandil dam. We feared trouble between the two parties during the bidding,? said Soren.

Boating at Chandil dam area has been suspended since the past week following orders from Singhbhum-Kolhan commissioner Chintu Nayak that the bidding should be completed by the first week of April.

Sources said boating operations were being conducted by a BJP contractor. But now JMM activists are aiming for the contract as it fetches a good amount of money during the tourist seasons.

?The previous contract expired in March. The next date for bidding will be announced in the first week of April,? said Soren.

The sources said interested candidates will have to deposit Rs 50,000 as advance before the bidding.

The boating facility at Chandil dam, which was inaugurated by then chief minister Babulal Marandi in January 2003, has been a major attraction for tourists.

Twenty-five speedboats and shikaras were purchased with the MLA local area development fund in 2003 by then BJP legislator Arvind Kumar Singh.

On March 1 this year after the Assembly poll results were declared, about 35 armed JMM activists damaged two boats following a minor scuffle with BJP workers. The event prompted the district administration to deploy police constables near the hanger area.