Nagpur Water Sports Tourism: 9 Lakes Are Ready — Now the City Needs the Political Will to Act
Nagpur has always been known as the city of lakes. However, its lakes have always been used for just one thing — looking at them. That is now about to change. The city has more than 9 major lakes including Gorewada, Ambazari, Futala, Shukrawari, Sonegaon, Naik, Sakkardara, Lendi and Baradwari near Pardi. Furthermore, years of cleaning, deepening and beautification work have transformed several of them. As a result, Nagpur is ready for water sports tourism. What it needs now is political and administrative will.
What Has Already Been Done — The Foundation Is Ready
Significant work has already been completed on Nagpur’s lakes. Furthermore, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis have both actively pushed for lake restoration across the city.
Ambazari Lake has been freed from water hyacinth. Furthermore, the lake’s surface is now cleaner and more accessible than it has been in years. Moreover, Gadkari has already announced that boating will begin at Ambazari Lake. Therefore, the groundwork for water sports at this lake is already being laid.
Futala Lake is getting a Musical Fountain with a viewing gallery for more than 1,200 spectators. Furthermore, the Italian RGBA LED lighting system is already installed. As a result, Futala is transforming into Nagpur’s premier evening entertainment destination — and a perfect base for water-based tourism activities.
Sonegaon and Shukrawari lakes have undergone years of cleaning and deepening. Moreover, the water in both lakes is visibly cleaner than it was five years ago. Therefore, both are now suitable for water activities that were not previously possible.
Why These Lakes Are Perfect for Water Sports
Most of Nagpur’s lakes do not supply drinking water. Furthermore, Gorewada Lake is the only exception — its water goes into the city’s water supply system. Therefore, all other major lakes are free from the restrictions that apply to drinking water reservoirs.
This is the key fact that makes water sports tourism viable in Nagpur. Moreover, these lakes are located within or very close to the city. As a result, they are accessible to both Nagpur residents for regular recreation and tourists visiting the city for a short trip.
Furthermore, the lakes vary in size and character. Larger lakes like Ambazari and Gorewada can support bigger water sports events. Smaller lakes like Sakkardara and Lendi are suitable for gentler water activities and family recreation.
The Kerala Model — Mini Snake Boat Race for Nagpur
One of the most exciting proposals emerging from the water sports tourism discussion is inspired by Kerala’s famous Vallam Kali — the traditional snake boat race held on Kerala’s backwaters every year. Moreover, the Kerala snake boat race draws lakhs of tourists from across India and abroad every year.
Nobody is suggesting that Nagpur can replicate the scale of Kerala’s 100-metre-long snake boats on its lakes. However, a mini version of a boat race — designed specifically for the size and conditions of Nagpur’s lakes — is entirely achievable. Furthermore, it could create exactly the kind of unique annual event that puts Nagpur on the tourism calendar.
Ambazari Lake, with its significant surface area and scenic surroundings, is the most obvious candidate for such an event. Moreover, Gadkari’s announcement of boating at Ambazari provides the perfect foundation on which a structured boat racing event can be built. As a result, combining the boating infrastructure with a competitive event would multiply the tourism value significantly.
What Water Sports Activities Are Possible at Each Lake
Different lakes suit different water sports activities. Here is how Nagpur’s lakes can be matched to specific activities.
Ambazari Lake — the largest and most accessible lake in the city — is ideal for rowing, kayaking, pedal boating and competitive boat races. Furthermore, the scenic Ambazari Garden surrounding the lake creates a natural spectator space for events.
Futala Lake — already being developed as an entertainment hub with the Musical Fountain — is perfect for evening pedal boating and leisure water activities that complement the fountain shows. Moreover, the 1,200-seat viewing gallery can double as a spectator area for water events.
Gorewada Lake — while restricted from water sports due to its drinking water status — has the Gorewada International Zoo on its shores. Therefore, the zone around Gorewada can support water-adjacent tourism such as wildlife boat safaris on the zoo’s water bodies.
Sonegaon and Shukrawari Lakes — cleaned and deepened in recent years — are suitable for kayaking, water cycling and small boat activities. Furthermore, their proximity to residential areas makes them ideal for regular weekend recreational water sports.
Sakkardara, Naik, Lendi and Baradwari Lakes — smaller but revitalized — can support local community water sports events and youth training programmes. Moreover, using these lakes for water sports creates local economic activity in the surrounding neighbourhoods.
The Tourism Case — What Water Sports Can Do for Nagpur
Nagpur is a city that has invested heavily in infrastructure over the past decade. Metro rail, the GMR airport expansion, MIHAN, the new Vidhan Bhavan — these are all major investments. However, leisure tourism infrastructure has lagged behind.
Water sports tourism fills this gap directly. Furthermore, it creates a category of visitor activity that Nagpur currently cannot offer. A tourist visiting Nagpur for a weekend — attending a cricket match at VCA Stadium or exploring Tadoba — has very limited leisure options within the city itself.
Add water kayaking at Ambazari, an evening boat ride at Futala after the Musical Fountain show, and a snake boat race event at Sonegaon — and Nagpur suddenly has a leisure tourism offering that competes with much larger cities. Moreover, water sports tourism creates employment for local boat operators, safety staff, equipment suppliers and event organizers.
What Gadkari Has Said — The Political Signal
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari’s announcement of boating at Ambazari Lake is not just an infrastructure commitment. Furthermore, it is a political signal that water-based tourism in Nagpur has arrived at the agenda of the city’s most powerful political figure.
Gadkari has consistently connected infrastructure investment with economic development. Moreover, his track record of turning announced projects into completed infrastructure — from Nagpur’s outer ring road to the MIHAN expressway to the upcoming Futala fountain — gives his water sports announcement credibility that similar announcements from other politicians might not carry.
Therefore, the political will that observers say is the only missing ingredient for Nagpur’s water sports tourism push may already be present. What is now needed is for the civic and tourism administration to translate that political signal into a concrete project plan — with timelines, budgets and an events calendar.
What Needs to Happen Next
Three specific steps would unlock Nagpur’s water sports tourism potential quickly. First, the Ambazari boating project needs a formal launch with licensed operators, safety infrastructure and a defined tariff structure. Furthermore, this should happen before the end of 2026.
Second, a Nagpur Lakes Water Sports Policy should be drafted by NMC in consultation with the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation. Moreover, this policy should define which water sports are permitted at which lakes, the licensing process for operators and the environmental safeguards required.
Third, an annual Nagpur Water Festival — centred on a mini boat race at Ambazari Lake — should be planned for 2027. Furthermore, this event should be promoted at the national level through Maharashtra tourism channels. As a result, it could draw visitors from across Vidarbha, Maharashtra and beyond.
Nagpur has the lakes. Nagpur has the infrastructure investment. Nagpur has the political support. The water sports tourism revolution is ready to begin.
