KOCHI: There is no respite in sight in the near future for commuters travelling to Kochi from neighbouring Alappuzha district from the traffic congestion due to the ongoing elevated highway construction on the Aroor-Thuravoor stretch. To make matters worse, the Kerala State Water Transport Department (KSWTD) has dropped its plans to operate boat services on the Ernakulam-Arookutty section after a test ride through the proposed route resulted in its boat getting stuck at multiple locations.
Earlier, Transport Minister K B Ganesh Kumar had asked the department to consider operating boat services to provide relief to commuters coming from border areas of Alappuzha district. It takes only 45 minutes for commuters to reach Ernakulam by boat.
“The deposit of silt over the years post the 2018 floods has made the route unnavigable. During the trial runs conducted on multiple occasions earlier this week, the steel boat got stuck at a couple of places,” said a senior SWTD official.
After the department couldn’t operate from Arookutty, it mulled deploying the boats from Panangad boat jetty, located on the other side of the Kaithapuzha-Vembanad Lake. “We conducted a trial run to Panangad, but the boat got stuck at the section near the Panangad boat jetty. Unless the Irrigation department acts on a war-footing and conducts dredging at the problem areas, we cannot operate the services,” the official pointed out.
Also, the department will have to deploy three boats upon commencing the service. “We can only spare a single boat now.”
Earlier, Aroor MLA Daleema had submitted a memorandum to Ganesh Kumar, requesting boat services, citing that the same would be a relief to commuters affected by the severe traffic congestions in Aroor and near-by areas due to the ongoing construction activities of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).
“Certain services, currently being operated from Perumbalam, could be extended to Ernakulam via Arookutty Ferry. It would cater to the heavy rush of commuters during the morning and evening peak hours. The construction of a boat jetty at Arookutty was completed several years ago, but the department has yet to operate services through the route. Also, the tourism potential of the interior areas should be explored,” the memorandum read.
The minister, in turn, directed the SWTD to explore the possibility of operating the inter-district boat services. The SWTD had earlier operated ‘Vega 120’ from Vaikom to Ernakulam via Panavally. However, the services were discontinued after Covid. But the SWTD sources said, the services could be operated again only if the depth at certain points along the route is increased to make it navigable.
The department also has plans to operate tourist services to Kakkathuruthu island in Vembanad Lake, which was listed in National Geographic’s ‘Around the World in 24 hours’.