Smooth sailing for pilgrims going to Bet Dwarka island

Rajkot: Devotees going to Bet Dwarka, the island off Okha that houses Lord Krishna’s temple, will be spared of those nervy mid-sea moments when their overloaded boat wildly swung due to waves.
Beginning Tuesday, the boat owners will be barred from directly collecting charges from passengers. Those wanting to board the boats for Bet Dwarka will be issued tickets that will be collected from a special window.
The decision was taken by the port administration and the district authority to deal with the overcrowding of boats by their owners who wanted to make maximum money. The decision was also taken considering the Morbi bridge collapse tragedy that killed 135 on October 30 last year.
Lakhs of pilgrims, who visit the temple town of Dwarka, visit Bet Dwarka too every year. Till now, they were at the mercy of boat owners as there is no other mode of transportation to the island. Many a time, the boat owners charged more money than the amount fixed by the port authority and risked lives by taking more people than the vessel’s actual capacity.
A notification for the new arrangement was made after several rounds of talks with the boat owners association. The boat owners will have to honour the tickets and the sailors as well as passengers must wear life jackets.
Rahul Mishra, Okha port officer, said, “The new arrangement will address the issue of overcrowding of boats and ensure the safety of passengers. The boat owners will be paid only as per the capacity of the boat per trip even if they carry more passengers.”
The ticket for the boat service is fixed at Rs 20 for a person above 12 years and Rs 10 for children aged 3 to 12 years.
Salim Sodha, president of the Okha Boat Owners Association said, “The ticket price is the same since 2018. In the new arrangement, we have to pay Rs 2 per passenger to the association. The ticket price should be increased.”
According to an estimate, there are 170 boats ferrying passengers, and 8,000 to 10,000 people use this service per day.