Here’s a pleasurable way to enjoy your weekend: race with friends on a speed boat, and then see how adept you are with the water scooter. At night, dine in style at the floating restaurant over a glass of wine or two. If everything goes as planned, work-weary Mumbaikars will be able to spend their Sundays doing all this and more, in what might just become the new weekend getaway - Vashi.

The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation [MTDC] plans to set up a water sports facility and a floating restaurant at the 1.5 lakh sq metre water-holding pond located at sector 10A in Vashi.

Vijay Chavan, General Manager, MTDC, told DNA that the water sports centre will comprise facilities like speed boats, motor boat riding and scooter riding. The restaurant, he said, will be an added attraction. The land belongs to the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO} and is being maintained by the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation.

According to Chavan, CIDCO-which is a partner in the endeavour - has already given its consent to the idea. In 2005, CIDCO entered into an agreement with MTDC leasing the land at an annual lease rent of Rs 1.Chavan added that a private operator will be roped in to run the facility, tenders for which are likely to be floated in a fortnight. Infact, MTDC and CIDCO had selected one in 2005 through a bidding process, but the operator could not render the facility functional.

If this dream becomes reality the facility will be the second water sports centre the tourism board has developed in and around the city. Chavan said that the board will ensure that the new facility is not turned into a commercial enterprise for a chosen few, and is open to one and all. MTDC, in fact, has also requested permission to run a water sports centre at a creek in Bhayander Vijay Nahata, Navi Mumbai Municipal Commissioner, however; said, "Before initiating the facility environmental clearance for the project will be required."