KOCHI: Frequent technical failures are causing repeated disruptions to the State Water Transport Department’s newly introduced catamaran-type ferry service between Fort Kochi, Vypeen and the Ernakulam mainland. And commuters are irked.
As many as 24 trips to and from Fort Kochi were affected after SWTD’s FC-5 vessel developed a glitch in its diesel pipe on Saturday shortly after being returned to service following repairs. The vessel had been brought back into operation on Friday after remaining out of service for several weeks. It was taken off the route after the latest snag.
The FC-1 has also remained grounded following an engine-related issue. The FC-5 had earlier suffered propeller damage and was moved to a private shipyard in Aroor for repairs. Both vessels have been undergoing repairs over the past week, forcing the SWTD to halve the number of daily services on the Fort Kochi-Vypeen-Ernakulam routes.
The sector has seven boats — five modern catamarans, FC-1 to FC-5, and two older steel vessels. However, the steel boats cannot be operated near the shipping channel due to safety regulations and are deployed on the Varapuzha-Mulavukadu route. This leaves the SWTD with limited alternatives when the catamarans develop faults.
“FC-5 was out of service for many weeks and was brought back on Friday. It soon developed another issue in the diesel pipe and had to be taken out again.
Technicians said it could be fixed soon, but such recurring problems have become a regular occurrence. FC-5 was to do additional services as FC-1 was still under repair. Now with this, the situation has worsened,” said a local source.
The disruption is not an isolated incident. FC-4 was out of service for more than a month recently and developed another technical problem earlier this month after it was brought back. The vessels are under warranty and covered by an annual maintenance contract. SWTD officials point out that the repair costs are borne entirely by the manufacturer under the AMC.
The breakdowns are particularly affecting daily commuters who depend on the SWTD for an affordable link to the mainland. A roughly 20-minute boat journey costs just `6, making the service one of the cheapest modes of transport between Fort Kochi and the mainland.