Private swimming pools give Amritsar residents a big respite from sweltering heat

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 20

Temperature has crossed an all-time high and the only respite provided by the scorching heat is the news of reopening of swimming pools.

While the city has only one public swimming pool at Gol Bagh, which was the most crowded and frequented swimming pool, there are several pools at private clubs and hotels which are allowed to use by the public. Swimming pools were closed for general use due to the pandemic but keeping in mind the intense heat wave, pools are now open for eight hours for the public.

After the Gol Bagh pool, the one at the Service Club is the most frequented pool in general. While the Gol Bagh pool has been closed for public use three years ago and it lacks any professional lifeguards and coaches, private pools at all prominent hotels and service club inside Company Bagh offer a well-kept pool, with safety and maintenance. “Since swimming is the only outdoor activity that children might involve themselves during peak summers, it’s a respite that the pool authorities are now allowing their usage by the public. Though private pools mean you have to shell out high charge for their use, in the absence of any other public pool and the Gol Bagh MC pool lying defunct, one doesn’t really have a choice,” said Aditi Khullar, who is a regular visitor to Service Club and Hyatt pools, along with her 10-year-old daughter Samaira. All major hotel chains have opened access to their swimming pools for the public and weekends are crowded. The pool at the university is also quite popular with children and grown-ups alike, given the state-of-the-art facilities.

The Olympic-standard pools on the GNDU premises offer separate pool arena for diving, training and competition, under the watch of coaches. There are separate coaches to give professional training to swimmers to compete in the state, national and international swimming competitions. Beginners are allowed for a few hours and that too under the supervision of lifeguards. But that was before the pandemic. The swimming pool at the GNDU too is allowed for public use but the varsity is yet to take a decision in this regard. At present, it is restricted for only professional swimmers.

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