After a gap of four months, the government relaunch boat operations at select water bodies in the State on Saturday.
“Boat operations will resume at all the tourist spots soon,” said Tourism Minister Muttamsetti Srinivas after flagging off the A.P. Tourism boat in the Krishna at Berm Park here.
New guidelines
“Boat accidents had been witnessed due to certain lapses and negligence of the previous government. The YSRCP government has come up with new guidelines for safe water transport,” the Minister said.
The government had suspended boat operations, both passenger and tourist, at all the water bodies on September 15 last after a private tourist boat, Royal Vasista, capsized in the Godavari at Kachluru village of Devipatnam mandal in Rampachodavaram Agency in East Godavari district.
While 51 persons had lost their lives in the accident, 26 tourists survived, thanks to the timely help rendered by the tribal people.
On September 16, the government had constituted a high-power committee headed by Special Chief Secretary Adityanath Das, besides ordering a magisterial inquiry by the district Joint Collector.
Safety measures
“The two committees had suggested several measures for safe water transport, which included registration, licensing system, maintaining safety gadgets, training for boat drivers, fire-fighting equipment, and checking at Command and Control Centres,” the Minister said, and added that a G.O. in this regard had been issued on Friday.
Bhavani Island, which was not in use after suspension of boating in the Krishna, would be developed with ₹1.70 crore. Work on the project would be completed in one week, the Minister added.
In all, 109 boats would start operations once the owners obtained the registration certificate and NOC, said Endowments Minister Vellampalli Srinivas.
MLAs Malladi Vishnu and Mondithoka Jaganmohan Rao, A.P. Tourism Development Corporation Principal Secretary K. Praveen Kumar and Managing Director Pravin Kumar were among others present.
