PANAJI
At a recent meeting with Social Welfare and River Navigation Department (RND) Minister Subhash Phal Dessai, the logistics committee of the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), led by its Chairman Chandrakant Gawas, has advised the removal from the fleet of all the single-engine ferries, citing safety risks.
Ferries operating with a single engine pose a significant safety risk, especially when the engine fails mid-river, the Gawas-led team told the minister. “To ensure passenger safety and operational reliability, GCCI strongly suggests that all single-engine ferries be phased out immediately,” Goa’s top industry body said.
Others in the team included the GCCI director-general Sanjay Amonkar and Sanket Kaskar.
The minister was also advised to scrap the nine unserviceable ferries which have become obsolete and are lying in the RND yard at Betim to free up space and curb operational costs. The free space created can be converted into a parking area for private yachts/crafts, thus generating revenue.
The GCCI team also advised the minister to adopt the PPP model for introducing new ferries in the department’s operations, adding that it will enhance the quality of the services and also ensure better maintenance.
Another proposal that the GCCI team presented to the minister was the outsourcing of its dockyard, which it said had been incurring losses. It said the dockyard should be outsourced to a competent private entity with expertise in ship maintenance and repair, which will generate valuable revenue.
According to the GCCI, Phal Dessai told the Gawas-led team that the government is looking at the feasibility of starting ‘water taxis’ to cater to both locals and tourists.
