KOCHI: Neglected and abandoned for years, Fort Queen could soon be making a comeback.
The Kochi corporation is planning to revive the passenger boat, which used to operate on the Fort Kochi-Vypeen route. The civic body is also exploring new routes for the vessel. “We have decided to restore the Fort Queen. It is an asset, and we cannot afford to let it rot. We will repair and renovate the passenger boat and reintroduce it on a new route,” Kochi mayor V K Minimol said.
The boat has remained non-operational for more than three years, resulting in significant damage, including rusting.“If the corporation is unable to operate it, we will appoint an agency or lease it to other agencies such as the State Water Transport Department,” she added.
Owned by the corporation, the boat, with the capacity to carry 150 passengers, was operated on the route when only one roll-on roll-off (ro-ro) service was available. The ferry was constructed by Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation Ltd (KSINC) at a cost of approximately `1.60 crore in 2017.
The Vypeen-Fort Kochi Passengers Association has been demanding that the boat be reintroduced after repairs. “If the Fort Kochi-Vypeen service is not possible, the ferry should be reintroduced on a new route. Handing over the ferry to SWTD would help in operating the boat profitably.
We have decided to raise the demand to the mayor,” said Francis Chammani, president of the association. Antony Kureethara, former councillor of the Fort Kochi division, said reintroducing the service would help ease congestion.
“The ro-ro service is overcrowded. During the previous council, we had demanded that the ferry service be operated. However, it did not materialise, which led to the deterioration of the vessel.
We have boat jetties in Mattancherry and on the island. When demand arises, the service should be relaunched. In this case, public convenience is more important than profit,” he said, adding the service was discontinued over claims that it was not profitable.