Ferry-boat Goa

Panjim: The ferryboats in the run by the State government would soon be registered registration under the Inland Vessels Act, 1917. The State government presently has 38 ferries, of these 28 are required for operation and 10 are spare. The process of surveying and registration will now be undertaken immediately pursuant to the government decision to implement the provisions of Inland Vessels Act.

The entire process of registering all the 38 ferry will take about 18 months and no new ferryboat purchased hereinafter will be operated without they being surveyed and registered as required under the Inland Vessels Act, according to an affidavit filed by the Captain of Ports, Government of Goa in the High Court in a PIL.

The petitioner in this public interest had raised the grievance about plying of ferries even when such ferries are not properly maintained. The Captain of Ports maintained that the department taking care of the safety aspects and every care is being taken to ensure that the ferry boats operate only when they are fit for plying.

Petitioner later submitted that the ferryboats required registration under the Inland Vessels Act, 1917 and that the ferries operated by River Navigation Department are not registered under the said Act. Petitioner also sought an additional relief to direct the Captain of Ports, Government of Goa to ensure that all the ferries operated by the River Navigation are registered under chapter II-A of the Inland
Vessels Act, 1917.

The State government on November 19, 2007 took a decision to implement the provisions of the
Inland Vessels Act and Rules so far as government ferryboats are also concerned. The procedure for registration is provided under chapter II and II-A of the said Act. Under chapter II, an Inland Vessel is required to be surveyed in the manner provided and thereafter a certificate of survey is required to be issued.