Resentment brews over closure of Mattancherry jetty
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Boat services were suspended following the floods of 2018
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The boat jetty at Mattancherry. The SWTD has been citing inadequate depth at the jetty for ferries to safely call at.
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Boat services were suspended following the floods of 2018
Resentment is brewing against the State Water Transport Department (SWTD) for not resuming ferry services to Mattancherry. The services were halted in 2018 following the floods.
A few thousand commuters from the region, most of whom from economically weaker sections, who relied on ferries to commute to Ernakulam and other places, have to either travel by bus or go all the way to the Customs Jetty in Fort Kochi to board ferries. Bus commuters end up paying over thrice the ferry fare of ₹6 and also spend more than double the time to reach mainland Ernakulam, said Govind Madhav Mallaya of West Kochi Passengers’ Association.
Private bus and ferry services to isles come to a halt
Even as city dwellers envy them for the fresh air and scenic surroundings that they live in, thousands of people who reside in about a dozen picturesque islands that are a stone’s throw away from the Greater Kochi mainland have harrowing tales to narrate, thanks to non-availability of modes of public transport.
This is because private buses that operated to isles that have bridge connectivity, and ferries operated by the State Water Transport Department (SWTD) have halted services, post the lockdown. “This has resulted in youth and men most of whom are sole bread winners in a family and earn less than ₹10,000 a month, being forced to avail loan to purchase two-wheelers. Still, women and elderly people are devoid of a mode of commute,” said Jerald Muzhagunthara, a resident of Kothad Island and an IT professional.