The government is all geared up to monitor the boating operations through the control rooms set up at various places across the State.
The staff of Revenue, Water Resources, Police and Fisheries departments will man the control rooms.
After the Katchuluru boat tragedy in East Godavari district on September 15, 2019, in which 51 tourists had met a watery grave, government suspended boating operations in all the water bodies.
Prior to the tragedy, about 170 boats had been operating in the Krishna and the Godavari rivers, and in the tanks, reservoirs and other water bodies in the State. The Telangana government too had suspended the Papikondalu cruise from Bhadrachalam after the tragedy.
Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had inaugurated nine control rooms in June last. Integrated control rooms had been set up at Singanapalli (West Godavari), Gandi Pochamma Temple (East Godavari), Perantalapalli (West Godavari), Pochavaram (West Godavari), Rajamahendravaram (East Godavari), Rushikonda (Visakhapatnam), Nagarjuna Sagar (Guntur), Srisailam (Kurnool), and Berm Park (Vijayawada) to monitor boating operations.
“The staff of the control rooms will ensure safety of the tourists enjoying a boat ride in the Godavari. The Papikondalu cruise will begin in a full-fledged manner from July 4. Tourists can book tickets online,” West Godavari District Collector Kartikeya Misra told The Hindu on Thursday.
The control room staff are mandated to check the licence and fitness of the boat, route permit, capacity, licence of the ‘sarung’ (driver) and assistant sarung, and the safety precautions on the boat before allowing it into the river.
“The boat operators and the tourists have to adhere to the safety precautions, wear life jackets and follow the rules and regulations prescribed by the government for a safe journey. Each control room will have expert swimmers for taking up rescue operations in an emergency,” Mr. Kartikeya Misra said.
“The police will focus on illegal operations in the river. We request the boat owners and operators not to overload the launches. They have to keep the boats in a fit condition and avoid transporting inflammable material and liquor on boats,” a police officer said.
