The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Boat service needs to improve: PAC

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 17, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Boat service needs to improve: PAC

Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Assembly has observed that the performance of the Water Transport Department is far from satisfactory.

In its report to the Assembly recently, the committee said that the department was not running its services properly. Maintenance of boats were not being done in time.

The committee urged the department to speed up incorporation of ferry services into the Smart Waterways package.

It recommended that the department start transport of goods to other States on leased barges.

The committee remarked that it was not fair to curtail all uneconomic boat services. In certain places, waterways were the only means of conveyance.

The boat services at Karthedam (to Ernakulam), Payyannur and Parassinikadavu should be restarted without considering the losses. The committee also suggested that auditing should be done effectively and regularly in the department to ensure accountability.

It also called for a detailed study report on the working of the department, with details of measures taken to minimise losses and improve its functioning.

On vehicle department

The committee recommended that the Motor Vehicles Department should go ahead with the proposal to set up a training centre for drivers in the Transport Department at Chevayur in Kozhikode. The government had dropped the proposal after spending Rs.24.44 lakh for construction of building for the centre.

The Transport Commissioner had not taken over the building despite repeated reminders by the Public Works Department and the Collector had subsequently allocated the building for other purposes.

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

Kerala