KOCHI: Just a year after Mattancherry boat services were resumed following a six-year suspension, commuters in west Kochi find themselves staring at another spell of uncertainty.
In a letter to district collector Priyanka G, the West Kochi Passengers Association alleged that administrative lapses had once again put operations at risk. Dredging equipment brought in to clear the channel had been lying idle near the jetty entrance, allegedly obstructing navigation, it said.
“An amount of Rs 4 crore was sanctioned for desilting the channel. It is very unfortunate that the very machinery brought in to clean the canal is now obstructing traffic, thus rendering the Mattancherry terminal, recently renovated at a cost of Rs 78 lakh, ineffective,” M M Abbas, president of the association, told TNIE.
According to the association, the contractor had halted desilting work citing non-payment of dues by the irrigation department. On its part, the department has reportedly attributed the delay to pending clearances by Cochin Port authorities.
This blame game, Abbas pointed out, was affecting ordinary commuters.
Indeed, for daily passengers, including workers, students and small traders, the Mattancherry service is a key link to the mainland. The route offers a faster and cheaper alternative to traffic-heavy roads and other water transport options.
The association, in the letter, urged the collector to convene an urgent meeting of the State Water Transport Department (SWTD), which manages the ferries, the irrigation department and port authorities to resolve the issue.
Responding to the concerns, an SWTD official told TNIE on Wednesday that the immediate issue has been resolved. “The barge on which the dredger sits has been moved and services from Mattancherry have resumed,” he said. However, the official acknowledged that desilting of the channel has not been fully completed. “The remaining work will be taken up after payment-related issues are sorted out,” he said.
The accumulation of silt has been a perennial problem affecting services on the traffic-heavy Mattancherry route. So, any disruption to desilting work is likely to affect services in the future, passengers highlighted.
The SWTD official admitted as much. “Inspections will be carried out during low tides this week to study the pattern and assess navigability. Based on the findings, further steps regarding dredging will be decided.”
Passing the buck
West Kochi Passengers Association said the contractor had halted desilting work citing non-payment of dues by the irrigation department
On its part, the department has reportedly attributed the delay to pending clearances by Cochin port authorities