KOCHI: Hundreds of commuters and tourists rely on the ‘Customs jetty’ at Fort Kochi for boat services. Every 20 minutes a boat gets moored here. There are just two benches by the ticket counter, and the aluminium sheets on the roof seem to be fighting a losing battle against the wind.
The restroom exists only in name; it’s dilapidated and inaccessible. And poor lighting makes the facility appear dingy after sunset. It’s a pathetic picture of one of the most popular tourist spots in Kerala. A telling picture of neglect, apathy. The scene is not much different at the Island jetty. Shoddy roof and flooring, insufficient seating facilities.
Notably, in May, the Terminal jetty in Willingdon Island collapsed. About 20 tourists fell into the water and were rescued by a State Water Transport Department (SWTD) ferry. The jetty, built by the Cochin Port Trust (CPT) decades ago, now remains shut, awaiting renovation.
The Embarkation jetty in Willingdon Island appears to be better-maintained, but lacks basic facilities like toilets and drinking water kiosks. Renovation works at the Mattancherry jetty — which started in 2018 — have led to the stoppage of the ferry services. Commuters wonder when it will be reopened.
On the mainland, the Ernakulam jetty, built by the tourism department on the reclaimed SWTD land, is a tad better maintained. However, the seating is insufficient, considering the passenger volume during peak hours. Also, the windowpanes facing the backwaters are broken, and plants and weeds grow wild from cracks in the moist walls.
‘Lackadaisical attitude’
Commuters, understandably, are displeased. “Fort Kochi and Mattancherry are one of the most sought-after tourist destinations. However, both the jetties are in a shambles,” says West Kochi Passengers’ Association president M M Abbas.
“The ferry services to Mattancherry were stopped after the 2018 floods. Renovation works are getting delayed, clearly, due to the lackadaisical attitude of the authorities concerned.”Abbas, 61, adds he has been using these boat jetties since his childhood. “Earlier, the Mattancherry jetty was under Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) but was later handed over to the SWTD. However, the maintenance is done by the irrigation department,” he notes.
“A lot of people depend on boat services, as there are only a few bus services to and from Mattancherry.”Abbas alleges that the irrigation department has been neglecting the jetty here, citing fund shortage. “They say they would renovate the Mattancherry jetty only after the ongoing work at Fort Kochi,” he adds.
“It takes about 25 minutes to reach Ernakulam from Mattancherry by bus, and the cost comes to `20. A ferry takes just 15 minutes, and the charge is just `11. So, naturally, Mattancherry residents, especially from poor financial backgrounds, have been frustrated.”
‘Forced to take two buses’
Stoppage of services and the inadequate number of boats have made the otherwise-pleasant boat journey a nightmare for residents of West Kochi — Fort Kochi, Mattancherry, Thoppumpady, Palluruthy, Edakochi, Kumbalangi and Chellanam.
“Thousands of people rely on the jetties at Fort Kochi and Mattancherry to travel to and from the mainland,” says Mattancherry resident Hissar P A, a pharma company field staff.“There were 10 boats designated in service via Ernakulam jetty — six services to Fort Kochi and Mattancherry, two for the Fort Kochi-Vypeen route, one for Ernakulam-Mulavukad and other for the Ernakulam-Varappuzha route. Currently, only three boats are assigned for Fort Kochi, and the services to Mattancherry have been stopped.”
From Fort Kochi to Ernakulam and back, the ferry service costs just `6, notes Hissar. By bus, it costs `23. On the ferry, it takes just 20 minutes, while the bus takes half an hour to reach the mainland.
“Now, I am forced to change at least two buses to reach my workplace in the city,” says Hissar.
Tourism takes a hit
Another Mattancherry resident Zulfikar K M says the condition of the jetties in Fort Kochi and Mattancherry reflects the attitude of the authorities towards the region. “The Customs jetty at Fort Kochi is dilapidated and can collapse any time,” he says.
Members of the Kerala Handicraft Dealer’s and Manufacturer’s Welfare Association also slam the official apathy. “Despite being a tourism hot spot, Mattancherry does not have basic facilities for tourists, such as good toilets, resting places, food courts, or information centres,” says the association’s secretary, Arafath Nazar. “Suspension of ferry services, obviously, affects tourism, too. Our repeated requests to upgrade the basic facilities fall on deaf ears.”
Expressing dismay over the issue, Better Response Kochi Group president and architect S Gopakumar says city planning “should have included more water-based projects”. Like other public transport infrastructure, he adds, the boat jetties should also be maintained properly.
What authorities say
Tourism department officials say the renovation of the boat jetties has been in progress under the SWTD and the irrigation department. Water transport director Shaji V Nair points to the irrigation department and the Cochin Port Trust (CPT), which have been entrusted with the responsibility to renovate the dilapidated jetties. “We have been regularly writing to them,” he says.
“Fort Kochi is one of the most-frequented jetties, but it is in a pathetic condition. We have written to the irrigation department and deposited an emergency fund for renovation works. Irrigation officials maintain that the work would begin soon.”Shaji adds the current fleet of ferries would be replaced by catamaran ferries with fibre-reinforced plastic bodies.
“Our target is to introduce nine catamaran ferries,” he says. “Four have already been assigned. Within eight months, the remaining will be replaced.” An irrigation department executive engineer says seven boat jetties — in Thevara, Kumbalam, Mulavukad and Mattancherry — are set to be reopened soon. “The works at Fort Kochi and Vypeen boat jetty are underway,” adds the official. “Works are going on in tandem with KMRL’s Water Metro project. The renovated boat jetties will include toilet facilities and granite flooring.”
WATER METRO TRIALS WITHIN A WEEK
The Water Metro’s first route will become operational soon and the trial run of the High Court- Vypeen service will start within a week. “We have received four e-boats made at the Cochin Shipyard. We are now waiting for the fifth boat,” says an official with KMRL. “All construction works will be completed this month.” The official adds each boat can ferry 100 passengers and is equipped with modern safety features. “We are planning to start the service from the High Court to Vypeen, which is the most populous island here. Other routes covering Vyttila and Kakkanad are ready for operations, too,” she says. “Works at Eroor, South Chittoor and Bolgatty are in the final stage. Construction work is under way at Fort Kochi. We are planning to complete eight terminals by the end of December. The jetties have a floating design, and will be accessible for people with disabilities.”