SAMIR UMARYE BICHOLIM: The residents of Chorao have demanded five ferries instead of the existing four on the Chorao-Ribandar route and have also accused the government of ignoring their pleas.
It may be stated that there are four ferries plying of this route and they work till late mid-night. But in spite of all this there is always a rush on this route as this is the only shortest route for the people from Chorao to reach Panjim. “We have been demanding five ferries for a long time but the government and the River Navigation Department has not paid any heed to our demands,” says Shrikrishna Halankar from Chorao. The Chorao panchayat, the local MLA, Pravin Zantye, and others have already met the River Navigation Minister Sudin Dhavalikar and have demanded for the fifth ferry. “Our representation has gone to the minister and we had demanded five ferries on this route but it is learnt that there are less staff with the department. We strongly demand the government give us one more ferry so that the traffic on this route is smooth,” said sarpanch of Chorao panchayat, Pandari Vernekar. “There were five ferries but suddenly one ferry disappeared and we don’t know where they have taken it. Now there are only four ferries and if one develops some problem then there are only three ferries plying on this route which becomes difficult for the people” Vernekar added. To press their demand the locals, under the banner of United Citizens of Chorao, staged a two-hour bandh of ferries on this route on Wednesday. “There is always a rush on this route and during morning and peak hours if one comes on a four-wheeler he has to wait for almost an hour to cross the ferry,” said Akshay Mhapsekar from Chorao. The locals have demanded that two ferries be stationed on the Chorao side even during night time so that people could use them during emergency. “During emergency, at night time the nearest place is Panjim and if there is no ferry we have to take the person to Bicholim PHC,” Halankar said. It is not only the people from Chorao who are affected with less ferries but also people from Bicholim and Mayem. “This route is one of the busiest routes and people from Mayem and Bicholim use the ferry if they want to go to Panjim. In view of this the government should keep five ferries on this route,” said Mayem Sarpanch, Tulshidas Chodankar. A social worker, Santosh Kumar Sawant from Mayem, has also alleged serious charges against Dhavalikar and Zantye over their failed assurance regarding the fifth ferry to ply citizens from Ribandar to Chorao. Sawant said that the MLA has become a visiting guest to the constituency. He alleged the citizens of Mayem constituency are suffering due to the lethargic behaviour of the local MLA.
