JAMMU, Jan. 29 -- After a long wait of around 16 years, the artificial lake in Jammu's Tawi river has eventually become a reality and has started drawing enthusiastic crowds for free boat rides. The artificial lake, part of larger Tawi Barrage project, missed several deadlines since 2009 resulting in cost escalation and also survived scares of shelving it altogether for being infeasible by successive state governments. However, after revocation of Article 370 and reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir August 2019, the project was taken up afresh. "A two-day free boat festival has started today. The timings are 3.30 pm to 6.30 pm. The river banks will also be illuminated with decorative lights," said CEO of the Jammu Smart City Project Limited (JSCL) and commissioner Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) Dr Devansh Yadav. "If free boating ride trials succeed then we eventually plan to outsource it and other allied facilities under PPP mode to young entrepreneurs. Apart from boat rides, we intend to introduce jet skiing and evening cruise and make it a place of tourist attraction where families can spend leisure time with their loved ones and enjoy traditional Dogra cuisine," he added. The CEO described the artificial lake as a big leap forward in Jammu's tourism sector. He said that under JSCL 10,000 trees will be planted on the river banks. He said that technology driven systems have been put in place to tackle flood-like situations during the rainy season. While the larger Tawi barrage project remains the prerogative of the irrigation and flood control department, the JSCL, in the first phase, has spent Rs 131 crores on the artificial lake and other allied facilities of the Tawi River front project. "Another Rs 30 crore is being spent on finishing works," he said. The JSCL also has sent a proposal to the government for a real estate project in the vicinity having resorts, malls and apartments, he informed. In the first phase, a 2.7-km stretch from fourth bridge near Bhagwati Nagar up to Bikram Chowk bridge has come up and another 4.3-km stretch up to Gujjar Nagar will be developed in second phase. To check water pollution, five sewerage drains from the Jammu city have already been diverted to the sewerage treatment plant and the remaining will be done this year. In 2021 lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha had issued orders to set a timeline for the completion of the protracted Auto-Mechanically Operated Gated Barrage on Tawi River, commonly called artificial lake. The LG's administration had engaged the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee, for detailed assessment of works already executed on Tawi Barrage Project and to give expert advice on the completion of left-over work and recommend measures required to be taken to prevent erosion of the embankments and suggest required flood protection works....