The Hindu Business Line : KSINC hands over fibre-glass boats

Kochi, Feb. 18 The State-owned Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation on Monday handed over 10 fibre-glass reinforced plastic boats constructed for the State Water Transport Department at a function here.

Speakers who participated in the function have called upon the Government to restore the past glory of the State waterways, which is considered to be cost-effective, safe and non-polluting.

Prof K.V. Thomas, MLA, stressed the need for a planned water transport network so as to reduce the congestion of highways and roads. Kerala, on account of its 44 rivers and tributaries, offers immense potential both for passenger movement as well as cargo transportation through inland water, he said.

The rules and regulations in the State, however, did not keep pace with the technological advancements arising from boat manufacture, he said, citing the instance of the two-year delay in issuing licence to the fibre-glass boats by the authorities.

Legal hurdles

These boats got entangled in legal hurdles and had to wait for more than two years to sort out the impasse in obtaining fitness certificate, which is a prerequisite for acceptance of the boats by SWTD.

The issue was resolved with Government intervention by issuing an extraordinary gazette notification by including FRP boats within the purview of Canals and Backwaters Navigation Rules.

Mr Thomas said that there is a need to augment the number of passenger ferries connecting places in West Kochi with the mainland. This would be a boost to tourist traffic as most of the boat jetties in the area and suburbs are lying unused.

He also called upon the authorities to initiate steps to extent the Kollam-Kottapuram National Waterways III to Kasargod and Thiruvananthapuram, for tourism related activities and for bulk-cargo movement.

Speaking after receiving the boats, the Director of SWTD, Mr Alex Paul said that the department was passing through bad times on account of absence of sufficient number of passenger boats. With the introduction of fibre boats, the wooden boats which are now plying can be taken for maintenance, he said.

The Chairman of KSINC, Mr B.R. Menon, Rear Admiral (Retd), said that KSINC is also in the field of tourism since 2004 and the cruise vessel Sagara Rani has become the tourist attraction in Kochi ever since it was launched.

Other tourist vessels Lake Princess, Lake Palace and Lake Queen are also operating in the respective segments. The launch of Sagara Rani II is likely to take place soon, he said.