Although the ferry boats are vital for the hundreds of islanders in Goa, they continue to face a plethora of problems, ranging from poorly maintained ferry access ramps, inadequate boats during peak hours and frequent breakdown of boats in the middle of the rivers.
Ramps on the 18 routes on which the ferry boats are operated are in very dilapidated condition and need urgent repairs. According to sources in the department, the Public Works Department (PWD) has not taken interest in it for the last six-seven years.
Since 2005 the River Navigation Department (RND) has been trying to get the estimates prepared to repair and broaden the Keri-Tiracol ramp, but yet it has not succeeded. The PWD took a long time and finally in January last year it issued a work order to the contractor to start the repair work of the ramp. But till date the work has not been completed.
It has also become difficult to operate ferryboat on Camurlim-Tuem route and there was an incident wherein a ferryboat was damaged as the contractor has constructed coffer dam to carry out repair work and occupied a sizable area of the ramp at Camurlim side for the last one year but has done nothing after that.
The ferry boats are being run using just two metres of the ramp and the remaining four metres have been occupied by the contractor. Because of this four wheelers are not using the ramp and only two-wheelers are using the ferryboat.
The widening of ferry ramps at Camurlim and Tuem side is pending for the last more than two years as the contractor is yet to start the work. The bad condition of ramps is becoming an impediment to provide better ferry services to the commuters.
Of the 18 routes, there is urgent need to repair and widen at least 10 ferry ramps across the State. In most of the cases, estimates are yet to be submitted while work has also not started despite issuing work orders thereby making it difficult for the RND to operate ferry boats safely.
Sources said the department is now mulling to appoint a retired engineer who will ensure that the work is done on time.
“A retired engineer from PWD will be appointed on contract basis for one or two years and the department will get the repair work done through him on priority basis. The department may get services of Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) as well instead of PWD,” a highly placed source at the RND said.
According to Director of RND, Vikramsingh Raje Bhosle, there are 11 ferry boats which are more than 15 years old and need to be replaced.
“Though there is a rule that they should be replaced after 15 years but generally after 15 years they are repaired and they become a good new ferry boat. Within 10-15 years we have to replace the bottom of the vessel,” he said.
However, the commuters aren’t impressed. They are upset with the bad condition of the ramps and the old ferry boats.
“Widening of existing ferry ramps on the Divar side of the Divar-Old Goa ferry route and also on Naroa-Bicholim route is very important. The government should take up the work on priority and urgent basis because daily commuters are facing problems due traffic jams and vehicles are getting damaged due to no proper elevation,” Prashant Harvalkar, panch member, Sao Matias Village Panchayat, said.
“The retaining wall constructed by the Agriculture Department close to the Naroa-Bicholim route ferry ramp is causing a major problem to anchor ferries during high tide. In spite of the Superintendent of River Navigation Department warning the Agriculture Department about it in writing, it has not taken any action,” Harvalkar said.
Shamin Almeida from Bicholim, said, “We frequently use the Chorao Ribandar ferry to travel to our workplace at Panjim. For those residing at BicholimSanquelim the ferry route is the shortest and most convenient route. We are affected when even a single ferry breaks down on this route as there is chaos, especially during office rush hours in the morning.”
“We have also noticed that on certain occasions when a ferry breaks down, there is a chaotic situation which exceeds two or more days, though on most occasions, prompt attention is taken to repair the ferry. We also request the concerned authorities to post traffic cops on both sides of Chorao and Ribandar during office hours to control the chaotic situation,” Almeida said.
Sujata Naik of Sanquelim said, “Absence of a traffic cop, especially during the rush hour, throws the situation out of control, especially on the Chorao side of the road. Two-wheelers rush to enter the ferry, due to which at times not a single ferry can enter, resulting in four- wheelers getting stranded. Such situations should be controlled, as everyone needs to go to their respective workplaces and not only two-wheeler riders.”
In the month of November last year, the RND had announced its plan to charge Rs 5 for two-wheelers and Rs 40 for vehicles for using ferry boat services across the State. But due to intense public pressure, this had to be scrapped.
Former Chodan-Madel sarpanch Shrikrishna Haldankar said, “The River and Navigation Department has put into service one more ferry on Chorao-Ribandar route which has taken the number of ferry boats on the route to six. Earlier there were only five ferry boats. Now the flow is a little smooth. Maybe because of a resolution passed in the Gram Sabha, the load is better and the service is running smoothly.”
“However, sometimes mismanagement takes place. So we have asked them to install CCTV cameras on Chorao as well as Ribandar sides, so that the services could be monitored by the officers by sitting in the office itself,” Haldankar said.
The infrastructure of ferry services should be improved. The Ribandar side ramp is not in good condition. People face hardships while coming to Panjim. At Ribandar there is no proper bus stop, nor is there proper lighting.
“Even the buses stop near the ramp itself which obstructs traffic for the two- or four-wheeler riders who disembark from the ferry boat. There has been a demand to lay a proper road and footpath, so that people could board or alight from the buses without any hassle. The buses should be directed to stop and park at least a few meters away from the ramp area,” said Simon Fernandes, a resident of Chorao island.
When the buses are on their way to Panjim from Old Goa people face problems as the Old Goa-Panjim Road is one way and people have to walk and cross the road. There is no pathway nor is there a traffic signal. People have to take a long route to catch a bus for Panjim.
There is a need to improve infrastructure at all the points across the State because either they are in dilapidated condition or very narrow which causes inconvenience to the daily commuters. A tender was floated for their improvement for the status is not known. Now with introduction of Ro-Ro ferry services traffic may increase, which will put additional burden on the ramps.
The islanders demand that there should be 24×7 ferry service as it is the only medium of transportation for them. At present ferry services are available from 6 am to 2 am in the night. Sometimes ambulances take patients to Sankhali or Bicholim as taking them to Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Bambolim, may take longer when the patient or the family may want to take the patient to GMCH.
“We have demanded in the gram sabha that the serious patient should be taken to the GMCH directly instead of taking them to Bicholim,” said Abhijit Parab from Bicholim.
According to the River and Navigation Department, there are 18 routes on which the ferry boats ply and the strength of the fleet is 32. Two new boats are to be inducted. They are being built at Vijay Marine at Loutolim. Even solar ferry boat will be introduced procured by the government will now be given on rent for operating in the State.
The solar ferryboat is most likely to be operated either in Chapora river or Mandovi river. The government has approved it and now it is to be tendered. However, the government of late has been of the opinion that ferry services should be reduced and stress should be laid more on construction of bridges. But at the same time, ramping up the overall operations of the ferry services, including the infrastructure of ferry terminals is very important.
Status of Ro-Ro service
TThe RND will soon introduce RoRo ferry services. It has already been tendered and Expression of Interest (EoI) has been received. Two Ro-Ro ferry boats are proposed to be run between Chorao-Ribandar route. The number may increase in the near future. The new ferry boats will replace the existing boats which are in operation.
The State government had invited bids from shipbuilders and shipbuilding and operating companies for designing, constructing and operating two Ro-Ro (Ride-on, Ride-off) ferry boats in October last year. Ro-Ro ferry boats will be used for transporting 12-14 four-wheelers or light commercial vehicles along with 50 passengers with full crew during all types of weather.
