The revelation made by Assam's Inland Water Transport Department (IWTD) that the double-decker ferry boat that went down in the Brahmaputra had been running without a permit or licence since being built in 1994, points to the dismal state of safety enforcement in the public transport sector in this country in general. Shockingly, the authorities have revealed that there are currently 2,000 such motorised boats and ferries in the very district of Dhubri where the accident occurred, and that only 30 of them have valid permits. It has also become clear that the vessel that claimed the lives of possibly a couple of hundred out of the 300-plus people who were on board, was loaded far in excess of its capacity. While a sudden cyclonic storm had a major role in causing what could be one of the worst such tragedies in the country in recent times, the lack of attention with regard to elementary safety parameters is scandalous. The Brahmaputra river system that criss-crosses the region is both lifeline and bane. Each day, thousands of commuters depend on ferries and boats to cross the river, some of them perched precariously on the roof, as they go about the business of life: Assam's IWTD operates 74 ferry services, of which 50 ply across this mighty river. Overcrowding is a common sight, with two-wheelers carried on board adding to the crunch. Many of the vessels do not even have side-railings, let alone safety gear such as life buoys. This was a tragedy waiting to happen. That the search operation to recover the bodies of the victims has been continuing for days underlines the difficulties involved. The operation being carried out by members of the National Disaster Relief Force, the BSF and the Army has been a painstaking one. Swift currents have carried many bodies downstream into Bangladesh necessitating a request to that country for assistance in recovering and repatriating them.
Inland water transport is an inexpensive and efficient option wherever it is available and feasible, and relatively greener too. But these advantages are of little use unless minimum safety norms are ensured. It is hardly enough to wake up to this reality each time there is a deadly accident. Modernisation of the sector and strict enforcement of a comprehensive safety code should go hand in hand with the scaling up of this transportation option. Considering the circumstances in which the latest tragedy occurred, there is also a case to ensure that weather forecasting and monitoring data are made available to the operators of large ferry services at originating points and also on board in real-time. If the lessons of Dhubri lead to a better safety regimen for the water transport system, it would make for the development of the sector — and safer journeys.
