KOCHI: The lockdown has brought public transportation to a halt in the state. However, for the employees working in the sector, the lockdown has opened fresh avenues to innovate and explore ways to improve the infrastructure. For instance, for the employees of State Water Transport Department (SWTD), it is competition time to bag the award for the best boat station in the state.To make best use of the lockdown time, SWTD has launched a unique ‘Cleaning Challenge’ in all its stations. The purpose is to spruce up the infrastructure, including stations and boats, during the lockdown period.
The best boat station and its employees will be rewarded after the lockdown. “We have around 60 operational boats and 14 stations in the state. All our employees are taking part in the ‘Cleaning Challenge.’ All boats are being cleaned and repainted. Similarly, the engine works and hull works are also being carried out. After each maintenance work, the station in charge sends the photographs on WhatsApp. In the last one week alone, all major works were completed. The employees have been taking the task positively and working hard to bag the first prize,” Shaji V Nair, director, SWTD, said.
The employees who stay at far-off places are now reaching the office daily to take part in the challenge. M Sujith, Traffic Superintendent of SWTD in Ernakulam, said the boats now sport a new look. “We have 10 boats in Ernakulam. Of these, four were newly procured. The painting work on other boats is progressing fast. The difficult part of the work is removing the waste that has got stuck beneath the boats. To remove the waste, we dock the boats on the islet near Marine Drive during high tide. During the low tide, our employees can remove such waste. When the lockdown is lifted, commuters will be surprised to see the boats,” he said.
Other than cleaning the boats, SWTD is planning to stitch masks for its employee when boat services resume. “A lot of masks will be required for employees who work at various stations and boats. Instead of procuring the masks, we are looking to stitch the required masks. Discussions in this regard are on,” Shaji said.
The ambulance boats operated by SWTD have come as a big relief for people residing on islands. “All essential supplies to these islands are transported in our ambulances. Government offices and banks located on the islands also depend on the ambulance during the lockdown,” Shaji said.