8 cr musical fountain to sing again: Green concerns hang over reopening

Bhopal: Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) will now directly operate the long-idle musical fountain at Boat Club, built at a cost of Rs 8.5 crore. Commissioner Sanskriti Jain confirmed the move here at Wednesday's meeting, ending years of uncertainty after a proposal to hand it over to the tourism department stalled. The 97-meter-long fountain, inaugurated by then Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Dec 10, 2019, functioned for only a week before shutting down. Equipped with photo and video projection features, the installation was criticized by the public for obstructing views and disturbing the eco-sensitive Upper Lake, a designated UNESCO Ramsar Site.The decision is expected to boost recreational facilities at Boat Club, though concerns remain about balancing tourism with environmental safeguards.