For the love of privacy

Where do you go, my lovely? As boats keep rocking relationships on an even keel, life in a metro is all at sea. CT keeps afloat.
As the sun prepares to take a dip in the horizon, a dozen boats set sail on the Ganges. Not one of them have tourists on a Ganga cruise. Instead, they are all booked by couples craving for some moments of privacy. By the time it's dark, a boss with his secretary joins the fray.No cops around; no prying eyes to raise morality questions either. Just pay Rs 250 for an hour and you have the luxury of gifting your partner Another Day in Paradise!
Ask any couple hiring a boat and they will say that Rs 150 for half an hour doesn't pinch their pocket. Since the boats are licensed, it rules out chances of being harassed by the river police officials. From what we see, the boats that start their journey from Babughat (near Prinsep Ghat railway station) and take you upto the second Hooghly Bridge and back are all equipped to give couples their fair share of space without intervention of any kind.
Thick curtains offer the much-needed cover. Should love make you thirsty, there is packaged drinking water available for a fee! A full-view mirror is also provided, which the boatmen cheekily claim to be of great use in case the couples wish to check that they are properly attired before they jump out of the water! Guess what, CT even spotted a woman in her lingerie taking a peek from the curtains. Not to be left behind, her guy tried a shirtless Salman act.
Those who find it a little disbalancing to get cozy when the boat is rocking, there is yet another option. One is free to ask the boatman to anchor the boat in the middle of the river as well and spend time in the way one wants to before hitting the shore.
The boatmen also have their own work ethics. "We don't take any boat close to another's vicinity. Our clients come here for privacy and we ensure that nobody gets disturbed. We don't even allow anyone to take pictures on mobile cameras. That rules out MMS circulations," said the boatman who accompanied CT reporters on their water trail.
While the boats sail between mid-afternoon and nine in the evening, the highest number of takers is during twilight. Students and office-goers, who can afford to bunk, prefer afternoon shifts.
At night, there is an extra lamp provided to add to the romanticism of the place. Even though the curtains are drawn, one can't mistake the intimacy of the couples even if they are silhouetted by the soft light. And that sure is a bonus for voyeurs on the prowl on speedboats.
Having done their rounds of snooping, when one such group came close to the boat hired by CT, they remarked: "Aare era toh family!”