Quick answer: CITCO (Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Development Corporation) is the Administration’s own company behind much of what tourists actually touch in Chandigarh: the boating and the Mermaid cafeteria at Sukhna Lake, the hop-on-hop-off city bus, three hotels, banquet lawns, city petrol pumps and even film-shoot support. Head office: SCO 121-122, Sector 17-B.
✍️ By Rahul Goyal · Chandigarh Life
What exactly is CITCO?
It began life on 28 March 1974 as the Chandigarh Small Industries Development Corporation. In 1982 the Administration handed it tourism as well, and the renamed CITCO has run the city’s public-sector hospitality ever since. So when you sip tea by the lake or ride a shikara at Sukhna, odds are you are a CITCO customer without knowing it.
At Sukhna Lake: Chef Lakeview and the boats
Chef Lakeview is CITCO’s food hub on the bank of the lake, anchored by the Mermaid cafeteria with open seating on the plaza in front, plus a reoriented restaurant and beer bar. The boating counter is CITCO’s too: pedal boats, shikaras, donut boats, pontoon boats and a cruise boat. Timings and rates are posted at the lake; our Sukhna Lake guide covers the visit end to end.
The hop-on-hop-off bus
CITCO markets the double-decker “Fun on Wheels” hop-on-hop-off service for seeing the city’s landmarks — Capitol Complex, Rock Garden, Sukhna, the gardens — without haggling with autos. It even sells the bus for private birthday and kitty-party packages, alongside the Rain Forest venue at Hotel Shivalikview and Chef Lakeview itself.
Hotels and banquets
The corporation’s three hotels — Mountview, Shivalikview and Parkview — are covered in detail in our CITCO hotels guide, from room counts to which lawn takes a 1,000-guest wedding.
The parts tourists never see
- Petrol pumps: CITCO operates fuel stations in the city.
- Industrial development: its original 1974 mandate, still on the books.
- Cinematic support: CITCO is a contact point for film and TV shoots in Chandigarh.
- Kalagram’s Baithak restaurant: the Punjabi-style restaurant at the culture complex on the Panchkula road was CITCO-run and is now outsourced to an operator.
Contact
SCO 121-122, Sector 17-B, Chandigarh 160017 · info@citcochandigarh.com · 0172 4644430 · hotel reservations toll-free 1800 180 2226. Corporate identity: CIN U45202CH1974SGC003415.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does CITCO stand for?
Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Development Corporation — the Chandigarh Administration’s own company, incorporated on 28 March 1974 and given tourism functions in 1982.
Who runs the boating at Sukhna Lake?
CITCO — pedal boats, shikaras, donut boats, pontoon boats and a cruise boat, with the Mermaid cafeteria at Chef Lakeview on the bank.
Does Chandigarh have a hop-on-hop-off bus?
Yes — CITCO markets the Fun on Wheels double-decker hop-on-hop-off service covering the city’s main sights, and also rents the bus for private parties.
How do I contact CITCO?
SCO 121-122, Sector 17-B, Chandigarh — info@citcochandigarh.com, 0172 4644430; hotel bookings on toll-free 1800 180 2226.
Keep exploring
- CITCO hotels: Mountview, Shivalikview and Parkview compared
- Sukhna Lake: boating, timings and things to do
- Capitol Complex: the UNESCO heart of the city
- Rock Garden of Chandigarh
Source: CITCO’s official website citcochandigarh.com (About CITCO, Chef Lakeview, Baithak, petrol pumps, cinematic support and contact pages), checked on 26 September 2026.