CALVIM-CARONA FERRYBOAT BREAKS DOWN AGAIN

PANJIM: The lone ferryboat ‘Shiroda,’ plying on Calvim-Carona route, developed a technical snag at around 6.30 p.m. and got drifted to the middle of the river, some 150 meters away from the ramp, giving anxious moments to the passengers on board. This was the ferryboat sent a few days earlier due to the previous one breaking down.

Initially, a canoe was brought and around 25 passengers were evacuated from the ferry boat but then the operation was halted. Around 50 people commuting on the ferryboat from Calvim to Carona were left stranded in the middle of the river since 6.30 p.m. Mr Freddy Pontes, a ward member, called up the officers at the River Navigation Department at around 7 p.m. and was assured that the ferryboat ‘Penha De France’ would be sent to evacuate the stranded people

As no relief operation was in sight, Mr Pontes personally went to the RND office at 8 p.m, and requested the officials to send replacement ferryboat at the earliest. It was only at 10.30 p.m that the ferryboat came to the rescue of the passengers stranded in ‘Shiroda’ in the middle of the river. By that time the stranded commuters used a canoe to cross over to the other side. This is a repeated scene along the Calvim-Carona route. The ferries often break down here. Many a times vehicles have to go back to take round about over the Corjuem bridge which is quite a distance almost thrice the distance by the ferry.

The authorities seem to neglect all the complaints and are least bothered to check the conditions of the vessels they have in their stock. Hardly any repairs are done to them. The other route that faces similar problem is Maina-Volvoi where the ferryboat used is so old that it could breakdown anytime in the middle of the journey. The commuters feel that the Captain of Ports should take due