Commuters face perilous travel through Ashtamudi

KOLLAM: The journey through Ashtamudi Lake has turned into a nightmare for passengers who depend on the State-owned ferries operating from the Water gateway in Kollam. These ferries face threats from fishing boats that criss-cross the lake especially during night time. Recently, a fishing boat collided with a passenger ferry destroying its hull but the passengers narrowly escaped. These ferries also lack proper maintenance and safety measures despite the recent Fort Kochi boat tragedy.

“The main reason behind the accidents caused by fishing boats is due to the fault in its design. The syrang of the fishing boat usually only has a hindered vision of its front side. The fishing boats while plying to the sea are laden with ice, hindering the forward vision. The same thing happened in Kochi,” Melwin David, state water transport passengers association Secretary, told DC.

The iron boats cannot withstand the saline water of Ashtamudi for more than a year, but the annual painting of these boats does not happen on time. Boat number S49 plying through Asht-amudi had never been painted since it started its operation three and a half years back, said Mr Melwin. The boat is presently in a dilapidated condition with its body rusted due to the salinity of the water but is still plying.

The passengers had raised the demand at the Chief Minister’s mass contact program for a wooden boat to ply through the saline waters of Ashtamudi lake, but nothing had come of it, Mr Melwin alleged.

Lack of a boat yard for carrying out maintenance of these boats is pointed out by the authorities to justify the apathy. But, it has been pointed out that private yards can be used as an alternative to carry out the works. The demand for appointing a safety commissioner for the efficient functioning of the system as recommended by the Justice Narayana Kurup Commission has also been pointed out by boat passengers.