Houseboat owners heaved a sigh of relief with the construction of first dockyard by the state government on the bank of the Dal Lake in Srinagar.
The dockyard would facilitate the construction and repair of the houseboats. The owners of the houseboats have been demanding the construction of a dockyard since forty years.
Tourism minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Ghulam Ahmad Mir, said that as the houseboats are the pride of Kashmir valley, the dockyard was necessary.
"Houseboat owners will get benefited by this initiative, as the dockyard has a modern workshop where they can get their houseboats repaired. The houseboats are the main attraction for the tourists, and good houseboats are necessary to attract tourists, " said Mir.
The dockyard will not only facilitate repair work, but will also help in the preservation of houseboats.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Yaqoob, a houseboat owner complimented the state government for taking adequate steps for improving the deteriorating condition of houseboats.
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"Today we feel that these house boats can be called as heritage house boats, which have got a new life. Like a workshop is necessary for a car, similarly this dockyard will play a very important role for these house boats," said Yaqoob.
Houseboat is considered as a heritage of Dal Lake that attracts tourists every year.