Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Water Transport Department in a fix

Thiruvananthapuram: Inadequate budgetary support, delay in carrying out timely repair of boats and failure to take up fleet modernisation is affecting the functioning of the State Water Transport Department (SWTD) which ferries 40,000 people everyday.

The department, which has a staff of 1,138, does not even have a full time director. At present, a senior official of the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD), stationed in the capital, is holding additional charge of the SWTD which has its headquarters at Alappuzha.

Of the 80-strong fleet of boats, 77 are passenger boats that can ferry 75-125 persons at a time. Of the 77 passenger boats, 26 have completed 25 years and cannot be operated as per rules framed after the Kumarakom boat tragedy. Of the remaining boats, only 40 are being used for passenger transport by the department.

Although these 40 boats have the mandatory fitness certificate, 90 per cent have been in use for more than 20 years and need major repairs and overhauling.

The SWTD Director has the powers to sanction works costing up to Rs.3 lakh.

The Administrative Assistant, the second officer in command of the department, has powers to sanction a mere Rs.100.

The cost of repairs and overhauling of a boat comes to Rs.4-5 lakh. “Obtaining sanction is often delayed and is a cumbersome procedure. Private contractors are not coming forward to take up the work,” sources told The Hindu. This has forced the SWTD to carry out the repair at Thevara and Alappuzha.

The delay in getting the boats repaired has forced the department to hire private boats to operate services in Kollam, Alappuzha and Kottayam districts. The Government has given the nod for hiring 10 private boats. But, only five have been hired.

Last year, the department got a budgetary allocation of Rs.34 lakh. The funds got lapsed as administrative sanction could be obtained only in March. Official sources said the department had to use this year’s allocation of Rs.24 lakh to clear the pending bills.

The SWTD had placed orders for six steel boats, each costing Rs.36 lakh. But, officials are pondering how to procure the boats.

The failure of the 10 fibre boats, made by the Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation (KSINC) for the SWTD, to get clearance from the Inspector of Boats has also caused problems.

A sum of Rs.1.5 crore was paid as advance to the KSINC. Official sources said the department has been incurring a loss of Rs.2 to 3 lakh per day.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Water Transport Department in a fix
UDF puts off meet
Forward Bloc protest
Allegations against Hitech City unfortunate, says Karim
Another tremor in two districts
Doctors skip key meets
Better coordination must for Plan execution
Elected office-bearer
Elephant lovers demand action
Driver training institute planned at Chevayoor
Panchayats seek more time
For the cause of higher education
Chandy seeks CBI probe into Ponmudi land deal

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu