Tackle untoward incident: State to set up four command & control centres

kolkata: The state Trans- port department will come up with four command and control centres for prompt response in case of any untoward incident like toppling of vessels along the riverine route of ferry operation on River Hooghly.

The command and control centre (CCC) will be equipped with infrastructure to keep contact with the vessels round the clock ,during operation.

The CCC will have officials from Kolkata Police, Fire and Emergency Services, Disaster Management, Bengal Police and Civil Defence for 24X7 monitoring and will be equipped with equipment for prompt rescue operation in case of any emergency.

The areas for setting up these command centres have already been earmarked with the main

one to come up at Outram Ghat. The river information system will be made manda-tory in all the vessels as part of safety measures.

“We are presently doing a study on the safety aspect of passengers which is being done by KITCO- the consulting wing of the Kerala government. The study will suggest measures for ensuring safety of the commuters in the river route and accordingly it will be implemented. The project area under study is from Tribeni to Raichak,” a senior official of the Transport department said. Apart from the safety aspect, the department has commissioned a number of studies for rendering passenger services in a smarter and more efficient manner and at the same time making the river route financially more viable.

The study on Institutional Strengthening and Business Aspects will delineate strategies for strengthening water wing for better services while the Integrated Strategic Development Plan (ISDP) will suggest new passenger amenities and financial viability plan. Ernst & Young is doing the ISDP study.

The study named CMP (Comprehensive Mobility Plan) will come up with suggestions for modal integration of different modes of transport to keep the jetties well connected and at the same time suggest general improvement within the KMA (Kolkata Metropolitan Area).The SDS (Spatial Devel-opment Strategy) will evolve a strategy for more efficient land use including logistics development.

“The study will involve the state Urban Development and Municipal Affairs department, Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority and Industry and Commerce department as we need to take stock of land use patterns within KMA area that includes residential area, industrial area etc,” the official said.

The department has adopted a strategy to ensure that the agencies roped in for doing the different studies come up with practical and feasible recommendations.

“They will have to propose the DPR and prepare the tender document and assist in the final tender selection. We have witnessed on earlier occasions that agencies have come up with bogus and impractical suggestions,” the official said.