Thrill seekers’ paradise: Water sports, paragliding kick off in Bilaspur district

Adventure tourism in Bilaspur district received a fresh boost as water sports activities officially resumed at Govind Sagar Lake following the end of restrictions on water body activities. Deputy Commissioner Rahul Kumar inaugurated the season of adventure sports at the lake on Sunday and also flagged off paragliding operations from Bandala Dhar Hill near Bilaspur town.

Speaking at the launch, the DC said the state government has constituted the Tourism, Sports, Trade and Employment Generation Society under the aegis of the district administration to promote water and adventure sports across the region. The initiative will offer a variety of recreational options, including speed boat rides, water scooters, banana rides and cruise rides, aimed at attracting both domestic and international visitors.

The DC highlighted that while Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had originally inaugurated water and adventure sports in the district last year, activities were temporarily suspended during the monsoon season due to safety restrictions. With the renewal of operations, the DC announced plans to host a three-day Water Sports Festival featuring dragon boat races, kayaking and canoeing competitions. He also said paragliding has been made operational at Bandala Dhar Hill in collaboration with the Department of Tourism.

In line with expanding tourism offerings, the administration is also preparing to promote island tourism in Govind Sagar Lake, enabling tourists to enjoy excursions to its islands, modelled on the tourism experience of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Rahul Kumar underlined that these initiatives are helping transform Bilaspur into a hub of adventure tourism. “The state government’s focus on water and adventure sports has not only accelerated tourism development in Bilaspur but also opened up new avenues of employment and entrepreneurship for youth in the transport, hospitality and service sectors,” he said.