Ports Director inspects boats in Polavaram

Polavaram: Director of Ports of Andhra Pradesh Koya Praveen said that the state Government transferred the checking of launches and boats to the department of ports recently following the frequent boat capsize incidents that took place in the Rivers Krishna and Godavari. He visited Singannapalli village in Polavaram mandal and inspected the tourism boating point on Wednesday, along with various department officials.

Speaking to the media here on Wednesday, he said  that the port officials inspected Kotipalli, Narsapuram, Edurulanka, Polavaram, Sakhinetipalli, Rajamahendravaram and Pochavaram points in the River Godavari and inspected 74 boats.  Out of these, 74 boats, 14 are not safe for ferrying. As per the directive from the state government given on May 18, the boat inspection was taken up, he added. 

He said that the boat licence registration responsibility is now entrusted to the Port Authority. However, as there was a shortage of staff, the supervisory duty was entrusted to the district revenue and police. He said that the details of the boats that are not safe to travel also handed over to the officials concerned.