Mangaluru: The passenger vessel service between Lakshadweep and Mangaluru has recommenced operations with the arrival of Parali, a high-speed craft, at the Old Mangaluru Port on Thursday, May 2
With 160 passengers on board, along with a pilot, a ship engineer, an assistant, and eight labourers, the arrival of the vessel brings hopes of reinstating this vital transportation link.
The passengers were welcomed by Congress brass. The vessels that used to arrive before the Covid-19 pandemic took 13 hours to reach Mangaluru from Lakshadweep. However, the introduction of the high-speed craft, Parali, has reduced the travel time to approximately seven hours, said Abubakar Ashraf Bengre.
Bengre is part of a team that has been instrumental in liaising with the authorities of both Lakshadweep and Karnataka to facilitate the revival of this service. He told reporters that the service would bring better economic activity to Mangaluru.
Over recent months, discussions have been held with Hamdullah Sayeed, president, Lakshadweep Congress Committee, as well as Karnataka Speaker UT Khader and district minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, to garner support for the reintroduction of the service.
The passengers who arrived mostly sought medical treatment, went shopping or met relatives here. They said that they traveled for Rs 450. Former MLA J R Lobo said that they will urge the government to ensure regular vessel services continue.
The passenger service was discontinued due to a lack of demand, it is learnt. In the year 2018-19, 4,955 passengers embarked and 7,422 disembarked from the Old Mangaluru Port. Subsequently, the figures declined to 3,779 (embarked) and 2,294 (disembarked) in 2019-20. The numbers further plummeted to 561 (embarked) and 19 (disembarked) in 2020-21, leading to the suspension of the service.
At present, the administration of the Union Territory of Lakshadweep has released a schedule for high-speed craft movement from April 29 to May 5.
Comments
Thanks to the almighty......but corporation should take necessary action to conserve water and public to be educated about saving water....everyone has a lesson this year....but our aadat is forgetting it soon......
The government authorities and the citizens should start taking necessary steps from now itself for water conservation and rain water harvesting activities so that similar drought like situations are not felt next year.
Al-Hamdulillah, Good news Allah's mercy..Thank you CD for giving us this great news.
Alhamdullillah : Thanks to ALLAH, Humans are weak and helpless if ALLAH did not had mercy and favored us with the rain.. Its a MERCY from ALLAH to his Creation
Prophet Muhammad pbuh (The last & final messenger of ALLaH) said: Do not waste water even if YOU were at a running Stream...
Al Hamdulillah!!!! Please dont waste water, its very precious....
Add new comment