The Fort Vypeen Janakeeya Kootayma has urged the Kochi Corporation to induct its second roll-in roll-out vessel in the busy Fort Kochi-Vypeen corridor as soon as possible.
The vessel has been idling at the Cochin shipyard. The city corporation has not been able to introduce the second vessel even six months after the Chief Minister inaugurated the ro-ro service between Fort Kochi and Vypeen, said Majnu Komath, chairman of the forum. The people’s forum also asked the Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation (KSINC) to recruit at least six drivers for ro-ro vessels. The decisions taken at a meeting convened by two Ministers in August to solve commuting problems in the corridor have not been implemented so far. Ro-ro vessels can be operated profitably in the route, while ordinary ferry service might incur additional expenditure to the tune of ₹5 lakh a month. The feasibility of handing over the operation of the ro-ro vessels to KMRL, in tandem with the Water Metro project, too must be looked at, Mr. Komath said.
The Cochin shipyard must be entrusted with the construction of yet another vessel, which can be operated if one of the two vessels is berthed for repair, he said.