KOCHI: After a gap of five years, Mattanchery, one of the most prominent tourist spots in the city, is getting ready to resume boat services to Ernakulam and Fort Kochi regions. The minor irrigation department is entrusted with the renovation of the boat jetty at Mattanchery which is expected to be commissioned by August this year.
Boat services in the region were stopped after the 2018 flood. The State Water Transport Department (SWTD) had been operating boat services from the jetty. But the department stopped services as shallow backwater prevented the docking of boats there. “Almost 95% of the work at the boat jetty has been completed. Minor works, including erecting handrails and laying interblocks, are pending. The work is expected to be completed by the second week of July,” said an official with the irrigation department.
“The plan is to start boat services by August,” the official added. Following the suspension of boat services from Mattacherry, residents had been facing difficulty in reaching the city. At present, SWTD boats from Ernakulam Boat Jetty head to Fort Kochi after making a stop near Embarkation Station on Willingdon Island.
“With the termination of boat services at Mattanchery, people had to commute to work by road, taking an hour instead of less than 10 minutes by boat to reach the workplace,” said 62-year-old Abbas, a regular commuter.
“The work on the boat jetty started over a year ago and has been moving at a snail’s pace,” he added.
“The condition of most boats and jetties is pitiful. “If the authorities focus on improving jetties, it will encourage more people to depend on water transportation, which will help reduce the number of private vehicles on roads,” said Abbas.
“The dredging work is going on at the jetty. The collector has issued permission to dump the dredged silt into the sea. These works are also progressing and will be completed by mid-July,” said an irrigation department official.