The Hindu : Kerala News : 15 new boats for Water Transport Department

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 20, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

15 new boats for Water Transport Department

By Our Staff Reporter

KOCHI, DEC. 19. The Transport Minister, N. Sakthan, has said that the State Water Transport Department will get 15 new boats in three months to replace a section of its ageing fleet.

The Minister was speaking after inaugurating a new steel boat built by the Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation (KSINC) for the department. This 20-metre-long boat, Aquabus-20, will conduct services between Fort Kochi and Ernakulam.

Mr. Sakthan said that eight new boats would be built for the department in the next financial year.

He said that all the new boats would have mobile phone facility to ensure proper help in emergency situation.

Most of the 50 boats run by the department at different places were old. They need to be replaced by modern boats, said the Minister. He said that there was no plan to hike the boat charge.

Direct bus service

Mr. Sakthan said that he would consider beginning a direct bus service from Fort Kochi to Thiruvananthapuram. K.V. Ebrahim Kunhu, MLA, had earlier demanded a daily morning bus service to the capital.

Aquabus-20, built at a cost of Rs. 36.5 lakhs, has an upper deck meant for tourists.

This 100-seater boat with plush interiors has water sensors for quick detection of any leak. It has a higher wheel-house and better seats than the other boats.

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