Passengers of the Vypeen-Fort Kochi ferry service, Pappy , had a scare when the boat drifted along the harbour-mouth owing to a technical snag amidst heavy rain around 7.30 a.m. on Monday.
Not a rare phenomenon since its induction shortly after the Fort Kochi boat tragedy that claimed 11 lives last August, the latest incident of drifting occurred shortly after the boat left for Vypeen from Fort Kochi jetty.
The engine came to a grinding halt owing to what the boat crew described as a clutch disc failure. An in-board country boat out on fishing in the vicinity saved the situation as it helped tow the boat to safety. Since the patronage for the service was on wane of late, there were only a few passengers aboard the boat.
The services for the rest of the day were cancelled after the boat was sent to a workshop at Njarakkal.
“We chose not to drop anchor since the boat was along a busy channel frequently taken by ships and other boats. Besides, dropping anchor also delays prompt towing. Since the incident occurred where police and shipping vessels were always present, there was no real danger,” claimed Manoj, who operated the service on contract for the Kochi Corporation.
Fed up of the irregularity of service and constant maintenance issues, passengers wondered why the Corporation could not hand over the service to the proposed Water Metro authorities since the civic body had made it clear that it had no plans to take it over from the contractor and operate it directly.
Single-engine boat
“Passengers now prefer the more efficient and safer jhankar service and the disadvantage of shifting the operation of the ferry service to tourist boat jetty had not helped either. Pappy is a single-engine boat, which was in violation of the recommendation in the Fort Kochi boat tragedy inquiry commission report submitted by ADGP K. Padmakumar according to which only double-engine boats should be operated for services along the deep harbour-mouth,” said Francis Chammany, president, Vypeen-Fort Kochi Ferry Passengers Association.
He alleged that Corporation paid lakhs of rupees to the contractor to keep the service running while Mr. Manoj said that he got paid around Rs.13,000 for the days of operation alone. This, he claimed, just about met the frequent maintenance cost and labour and fuel expenses.
New boat
Asked about the expenses incurred by the Corporation on Pappy , Deputy Mayor T.J. Vinod said he would have to look the files concerned.
He said that the new double-engine boat being built by the Corporation would be pressed into service by next March. The construction of the ro-ro jetty would be completed in six months and the first of the two ro-ro vessel would be launched immediately after that.
Owing to poor patronage, there were only a few passengers aboard the boat
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WATER SCARE
Drifting occurs shortly after the boat leaves for Vypeen from Fort Kochi jetty
Engine of the boat comes to a grinding halt owing to clutch disc failure
A country boat saves the situation, as it helps in towing the boat to safety
