GUWAHATI: The Assam inland water transport (IWT) department resumed ferry services in the river island of Majuli on Tuesday but with 50 per cent intake capacity, keeping in mind the social distancing norms in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, ferry services in the southern bank of the Brahmaputra have been restricted only to Kamalabari-Nemati and Aphalamukh-Nemati ghats while all ferry services in the northern bank are yet to be operational.
The move comes after relaxation of certain lockdown restrictions in the state even as the Majuli district administration has issued a set of guidelines for the service.
The district administration has permitted operation of only 50 per cent ferries registered under the IWT department and all ferries will have to carry only 50 per cent passengers.
The district administration had on March 21 last suspended goods and passenger transport services between Neematighat to Majuli to reduce the risk of the outbreak of COVID-19 in the river island. A special weeklong free ferry service however had to be started to transport people stranded in view of the lockdown.
According to the latest directive, private ferries may operate under the authority of IWT without violating the upper limit on the number of ferries plying per day. The assistant executive engineer, IWT, has been directed to arrange hand washing and sanitisation facilities at ghats before boarding and de-boarding and ensure that no passenger is allowed to board the ferries without wearing face masks.
The administration has stated that violators of the lockdown norms would be liable for prosecution in accordance with the provisions of sections 51 to 60 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 besides legal action under sections of the IPC.
