Transport dept launches five modern steel vessels

The state Transport department on Monday introduced five robust steel vessels to transport people safely across river Hooghly.

The five vessels will be operating between Belur Math to Dakshineswar, Cossipore to Howrah and in Sheoraphuli and Konnagar.

Urban Development minister Firhad Hakim, Mayor Sovan Chatterjee and the state Transport minister Suvendu Adhikari flagged off the vessels from Millennium Park on Monday evening. Both Hakim and Chatterjee appreciated the move of the Transport department which took step to renovate around 269 jetties across the state to ensure the safety of hundreds of people who are dependent on the river route in order to reach their destinations.

The Transport minister said: "Five vessels have been flagged off today (Monday) and 30 more will be introduced in phases. The step to build and introduce such robust steel vessels has been taken up to ensure the safety of passengers who travel across the river."

It may be mentioned that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had given stress on river safety after the incident at Telenipara in Hooghly where 13 people were killed when a dilapidated jetty collapsed during high tide. She had also announced that Rs 1 lakh will be given to boat owners to convert semi-mechanised boats to mechanised ones.

Following her direction, the Transport department had taken a slew of measures to ensure safe journey of people travelling across the river. A committee had framed a Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) following which jetties will be repaired.

Each of the five vessels, which have been introduced on Monday, has a capacity of carrying 250 people at a time and can withstand rough weathers.

Adhikari said: "The vessels have been constructed using modern and updated technology. As many as 30 more such vessels will be introduced to replace the old ones."