The recent two or three incidents involving ferries breaking down are a cause of concern for the numerous members of the public who use this mode of transport to perform their daily chores like going to their place of work or school. A ferry tilting with ingress of water when moored to the bank/shore, with the reason given as rainwater, sounds hollow.
Inland waterways ferries are flat-bottom boats and highly prone to developing leaks if periodic maintenance schedules like drydocking every five years — where a special survey is also held — along with other intermediate inspections in between, are not followed. The incident on the Chorao side of a moored ferry has to be taken seriously by the Captain of Ports and RND to take preventive measures, so that such instances do not reoccur and the safety of passengers is kept uppermost in their minds.
Another incident in the Cumbarjua canal just a couple of days back readily comes to mind, when a ferry got immobilised midstream and was almost hit by a moving empty barge. Only the navigating skills of the quartermaster of the barge avoided a major catastrophe.
