Gandi Pochamma-Papikondalu Tourism Boat Operators Protest Delay in Safety Audit
Operators say no audit has been conducted since June 13, despite suspension order
Vijayawada: No safety audit of boats carrying tourists over Godavari River to Papikondalu from Gandi Pochamma Ferry Point has yet been conducted though Rampachodavaram RDO K. Swathi had issued an order suspending their operations on June 13 for audit.
Tourism boat operators ply their boats on Godavari River to Papikondalu during the festive season beginning from Dasara festival in October till the beginning of flood season in July. These attract a large number of tourists.
Boat operators said revenue officials informed them that as part of the safety audit, it would be checked whether boats have valid permits and are safe enough to carry tourists. There would also be mock drills to check whether safety mechanisms are present and staff are experienced enough to deal with emergencies.
“As ordered, we stopped operating our boats on June 13, but no safety audit has been carried out on any boat though more than two weeks have passed,” a boat operator told Deccan Chronicle. However, tourism boats are continuing to operate to Papikondalu from Pochavaram Ferry Point, which is about 70 km from Bhadrachalam in Telangana.
Boat operators from Gandi Pochamma say the delay in safety audit is causing them financial loss while disappointing tourists who book their tickets in advance for a boat ride to Papikondalu. “Thousands of people depend on boating and related activities to eke out their livelihoods,” another boat operator pointed out.
Operators maintain that they go for renewal of licence every year by complying with all the mandatory safety norms. They get their boats overhauled at the dry dock once every five years by spending huge amounts of money.
They complain that at times, officials stop them from plying boats over trivial issues like bad weather and rainfall elsewhere.
Boat operator G.V.V.S.N. Murali Krishna said, “We appeal to the authorities to complete the safety audit of our boats immediately and allow our boats to be operated to Papikondalu.” He pointed out that the flood season is coming when they will have to anyway stop plying their boats.”
Polavaram district collector K. Dinesh Kumar said, “We have studied safety practices being followed in other states like Kerala. We have developed standard operating procedures (SOPs) for operation of tourism boats on Godavari River.”
