Kochi backwater cruise down by 50 per cent

Kochi: Quite often, tour boat operators  are on the radar of the authorities for not adhering to laid-down safety practices,  but those in  Kochi are now taking the lead in demanding the implementation of enhanced safety standards.

The reason:  fewer number of  tourists are now opting for the ‘Kochi boat safari’ or the ‘Sunset tours’ post-  the Fort Kochi boat tragedy on August 26 which claimed 11 lives. The tour boat operators say there is a fall of up to 50 per cent.

“Usually on week-ends, there would be 80-90 passengers for the ‘Common boat rides’ (customers of various tour boat operators). However, the number of domestic tourists opting for the rides has come down to 35 to 40 as there is a general fear following the tragedy. Even the popular ‘Sunset tours’ (from 5.30 p.m. to 7 p.m.) see fewer customers and it would take some time for the fear to go,” said a tour boat operator at Marine Drive.

The lobby now demands that wearing of life jackets by boat riders should be made mandatory among others as part of presenting a “safe picture” before the visitors.

“The rule should make it mandatory for riders to wear safety jackets before entering boats as is the practice in other countries or even in states like Tamil Nadu. Many of the riders ignore our plea to wear life jackets but we can’t insist on them to do so in the absence of laid-down rules. The Kochi backwater rides go all the way to the sea mouth cutting across 14-metre- deep ship channel. The safety standards should be the same as that laid down in the SOLAS (International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea,” opinions Faizal Fasu of the Great Asia Tours and Travels which conducts tourist boat rides for the District Tourism Promotion Council.

Chief surveyor of the ports department P.K. Ajayan said as per the Kerala Inland Vessels Rules, 2010, and the Cochin Harbour Craft Rules, wearing of life jackets is mandatory only for riders of speed boats.

“It’s not mandatory for riders of ordinary boats. However, the boat operators need to store life jackets in boats for every rider (1:1 ratio).”

Mr M. Satyan, Ernakulam traffic superintendent of the state water transport department, too bats for boat riders wearing life jackets.  

“There is a practical difficulty for passenger boats as the trips last for just five to 10 minutes. But in the case of tourist boats, the rides will be for over an hour and that too with the visitors all crowded up in the upper deck. Wearing of life jackets should be made mandatory in such cases,” he said.