How disturbing can it be when daily commuting turns out to be life-threatening?
But for residents of Pizhala, one among the islands in Kadamakudy panchayat, it has become a way of life as they criss-cross the waters on rickety, unlicensed ferries. So dependent are they on these services and so used they are to the precarious commute that they do not seem to care any longer.
Ferry services connecting Pizhala with Kothad and Moolampilly are among the five services — the others being Paliyamthuruth-Valiya Kadamakudy, Chenoor-Kothad, and another touching the three islands of Pizhala, Chariyanthuruth, and Chenoor — auctioned off annually by Kadamakudy panchayat with great difficulty as very few operators volunteer thanks to feasibility issues.
The proposed Moolampilly-Pizhala bridge would have put paid to their woes. But it has been in the making for the last five years.
Kadamakudy panchayat president Shalini Babu is among the first to admit that only two ferries — Chenooor-Kothad and Moolampilly-Pizhala — were licensed, while their fitness was suspect.
“Operators will call off the service the moment we serve notice over licence and fitness, thus inviting the wrath of the people. We had in the past approached the District Collector, MLA, MP, and Water Metro and DP World authorities seeking sponsorship for building a ferry since the panchayat hardly has the resource for it,” she said.
The Pizhala-Kothad ferry is being retained by the panchayat by paying a daily rent of ₹1,500 provided by the Goshree Islands Development Authority.
However, the operator has threatened to suspend the service by the end of this month citing negligible returns. He had taken over the service after his predecessor had given it up on similar grounds.
The risk of using ferry services open-ended on both sides had been exposed more than once.
“The risk of people and vehicles rolling off the board is very real. Recently, a scooter rider had fallen into water,” said Vigin Prakasan, a resident of Kadamakudy.
The meagre fares sanctioned by the panchayat also make it unattractive to operators.
“The passenger fare of ₹2, ₹4, and ₹15 for pedestrians, two-wheelers, and four-wheelers respectively were fixed years ago, and any attempt to even marginally increase the fare is unacceptable to the public. It’s barely enough for covering labour and fuel costs,” said a ward member on condition of anonymity.
