It is the perfect weather to take out your picnic basket, pack some sandwiches, cakes, juices, munchies and head to the Chetpet Ecopark that was opened to the public early last year. Open from 5 am in the morning to 7 pm, the park has a nice walking track and boating facilities along with a multimedia centre. The entry fee to the park itself is Rs. 25 for adults and Rs. 10 for children.
The star attraction is the boating facility, which is crowded on weekends. There are two types of boats – rowing boat and pedalling boat on offer. The boat takes one round across the lake and comes back to the jetty.
Boating at the Lake
The lake, which is around 18 feet deep, is home to a variety of fish like rohu, cutla and pangasius. They are fed and fished for by professional anglers, on the other side of the lake. Visitors are also allowed to use the equipment and take a sack-full of the fish home at Rs. 300 per kilogram, all under the strict supervision of the anglers.
Towards the end of 2016, two 18 feet high aquariums came up as well. A total of 45 carp fish had been released in one of the aquariums and the other has 14 tiger shark fingerling in it. Apart from the exotic ones, the park authorities had also released scavenger fish to keep the aquarium clean. A 35w halogen LED light had been fixed under the aquarium to illuminate it.
There is a small food court with bakery, sandwiches, soups, chaats, tea and coffee. And behind is a small play area for kids with a few swings, which is a huge hit with the kids.
Take a stroll on the walking track, eat at the food court or from your picnic basket, enjoy boating with family and spend a beautiful day.
