PANJIM: Strange, but as thousands of people demand an increase in the ferry services on certain river routes in the State, the government instead of heeding to these demands is providing ferry services on hire to offshore casino operators in the River Mandovi in Panjim.
Recently, residents of Chorao protested demanding an additional ferry to the existing fleet of four ferries connecting their island with Ribandar on the mainland.
On a daily basis there are long queues of vehicles and people at the Chorao ferry wharf on either side of the river, especially at peak hours. People have also been demanding for a bridge over the river that would ease the chaotic situation at the wharf.
But instead of listening to these demands of the people, on Friday evening, two ferry boats belonging to the River Navigation Department were spotted near a casino in River Mandovi and both were carrying generator sets as power backup for the casino. The ferries were anchored near the casino and were secured by ropes to the vessel.
When Herald contacted the River Navigation Department no official was available to furnish proper information on the lease of the ferries. However, a staffer telephonically informed Herald that the ferries have been given on rent for five days to the casino operator.
Repeated attempts to contact the Captain of Ports and the Minister for River Navigation over the phone failed.
The government has been repeatedly targeted by the opposition for allowing the casinos to remain in River Mandovi. There have also been a series of controversies over the issue of casinos in the State.
