Shift to 12-coach EMUs leads to rise in footfall
In a major boost to connectivity to daily commuters from districts of North 24-Parganas, Nadia, Howrah and Murshidabad, the upgradation of infrastructure at Sealdah station
The Howrah ferry service, a lifeline for local commuters, lies in shambles.
Paucity of funds and years of apathy is plaguing the Hooghly Nadi Jalapath Paribhan Samabai Samity, which runs ferry service between Howrah and Kolkata.
Around 13 ferries of the samity, which runs between Howrah-Chandpal, Howrah- Armenian Ghat, Howrah- Sovabazar, Baghbazar and Ramkrishnapur-Babughat routes, is in need of urgent repairs to keep it fit ahead of January 2024 deadline.
An official of the Hooghly Nadi Jalapath Paribahan Samabai Samity claimed that the situation has come to such a pass that should the Inland Water transport (IWT), which is the parent body to issue fitness certificates to ferries, put its thumbs down in giving the fitness certificates in the absence of urgent repairs. If it fails to run, the future of about 300 employees of the Samity would be at stake.
An official of the Samity claimed that it has already written to the state transport department requesting to release at least Rs 1.43cr for repairs.
The Hooghly Nadi Jalap- ath Paribahan Samabai Samity, which does not have any elected board since 2018 had been put under the administrative control of the registrar of cooperative society.
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“We have last received funds to the tune of Rs 4 lakh from the government at the time of Covid,” he said. The crisis further escalated with shooting fuel prices. Income from sale of tickets, which is at present Rs 6 per ticket, is too little to cope with the crisis.
The special officer of the samity, who was appointed by the state government to oversee work, said that it has sent a letter to the transport minister entailing details of the need and requested him to release at least Rs 1.43cr to carry out immediate repairs
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