GUWAHATI, May 11 � The State Government is going to set up regulatory authorities for monitoring river transport services in line with the Airport Authority. An expert committee has already been set up following the Medertary ferry mishap, said Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi at a press conference here today.
The Chief Minister said that the area of inland water transport remained neglected so far. But now on, there would be efforts at setting up offices at the ferry ghats and meteorological data and safety certificates would also be made mandatory for running ferry services.
The State is taking up the issue of improving the river transport with the Government of India, he said.
He informed the media persons that so far, 40 bodies of the ill-fated victims of the April 30 Medertary boat mishap have been recovered and there are nine victims of the mishap who are reported to have been missing till date.
The Chief Minister also apprised the media persons that 35 people sustained injuries in the mishap and 163 passengers of the ill-fated ferry were rescued.
However, he said, though there were 280 passengers on board the boat as per the records, the figures available with the Government state that 247 passengers were on the boat. The Government is conducting an enquiry into such inconsistencies, he said.
He admitted that the State needs similar measures as proposed in the area of inland water transport in the area of its road transport too for, pedestrians and cyclists are getting a raw deal in the State.
The safety of the bus passengers, who are made to travel in crowded buses, and other road users also need to be ensured, he said.
