Krushnaprasad: Despite frequent reports of mishaps including capsizing and grounding of boats and vessels in Chilika lake, the safety concerns in ferry services have continuously been thrown to the winds given the routine scenes of overcrowded boats in the blue lagoon.
Ferry services for pilgrims at Chilika to reach Puri are operating with blatant disregard to the established safety and security regulations, putting the passengers’ lives at risk.
The boats continue to ferry hundreds of tourists and locals across the water body sans adequate safety measures. Those are usually overcrowded beyond their permitted capacity.
Making the matter worse, the ferries also transport a large number of vehicles including two-wheelers and four wheelers, without any regard to the maximum weight allowed on board.
The Janhikuda-Satapada water way passing through Chilika is the only time-saving and easily available route for pilgrims from south Odisha and Krushnaprasad block to Lord Jagannath’s abode in Puri.
Hundreds of pilgrims and passengers travelling to Puri prefer this route through the water body to avoid a 200 km-long road journey. However, the hazardous boat rides often put their lives in danger.
Taking into consideration the safety of the pilgrims, the Chilika Development Authority (CDA) had provided two floating vessels. Apart from pilgrims, the vessels also ferried buses, trucks, cars and other vehicles.
However, the floating vessels have now been lying defunct. “Senior engineers from Paradip and Odisha Diesel Private Ltd and mechanics of CDA have been engaged in the repair work. The vessels will be provided for public use once again as soon as the repair work is done,” said CDA junior engineers Dumbrudhar Biswal and Biswajit Das.
With both the floating vessels lying defunct, pilgrims are forced to take overcrowded boat rides thereby risking their lives. While the tourist inflow to Puri is expected to increase in coming days, the slow pace of repair work is a matter of concern.
It may be recalled that several tourists have died recently in accidents triggered by lack of safety arrangements at tourist hot spots. At least, six persons met the watery grave after a boat capsized in the lake June 16, 2018.
Then it was made mandatory to wear life jackets for pilgrims. However, the boat operators and the riders are blatantly violating the rules, a tourist from Phulbani said
PNN
