Ferry contractor in ‘troubled’ waters

The decades-old Eloor-Cheranalloor ferry service is now in troubled waters as the contractor has threatened to discontinue it if the maintenance fund is not adequately hiked.

The contractor has informed the Eloor municipal authorities that it would be impossible for him to continue the service with the meagre fund.

The ferry service, once the lifeline of   Eloor, was of tremendous help for the passengers for decades. But with the opening of the Container Road the ferry has become less sought after.

“The monthly `6,000 that I get for maintaining the service by the municipality is too meagre as the number of passengers has decreased drastically. The ferry charge is `3. Earlier, the number of passengers was high and I could somehow make both ends meet,” Saju, the contractor, said.

“The collection was the lowest-ever in the last two months. Earlier, there were three boats in service. Owing to the drop in the number of ferry-users, two boat services were stopped. The ferry employees have to find other jobs if this service is also stopped,” he said.

The Eloor municipal authorities said they have approached the Varapuzha panchayat to provide financial help for the ferry service.

“The panchayat has decided to hold a joint sitting in this regard next Thursday,” said  Varapuzha panchayat president Mercy Johny.

She said that though there was a drop in the number of passengers in recent years, the schoolchildren still depend on the ferry everyday.

“Several students from Eloor are studying in schools in Varapuzha. All of them find the ferry service an easy mode of travel. So the service should continue,” she said.

“The joy of traversing on the backwaters and the scenic beauty of the land on either sides make ferry travel a pleasant experience and it is eco-friendly too. Also, the ferry charge is very cheap,” said Ravi, a regular boat passenger.

But for Saju, the income from ferry has gone down considerably. The collection is now around `1,500 a day. Earlier it was around `4500 to `6000, said an employee with the ferry service.

Asked whether the authorities plan to exploit the tourism possibilities of the ferry, he said he was not aware of any such plan.