Mumbai: After ferry tragedy, life jackets should for boat rides from Gateway of India…

Jadhav, a part of the MMB, is tasked with making certain that each passenger on such boats mandatorily wears a life jacket.

Boat house owners from Bhaucha Dhakka (a wharf close to the Dockyard Highway in Mumbai) mentioned they insist that individuals put on life jackets, however passengers are reluctant many a instances although they might show life-saving in case of an emergency.

Ferry boats function from Bhaucha Dhakka to trans-harbour areas like Uran and Revas in neighbouring Raigad district. Boat proprietor Sameer Bamane mentioned some passengers are reluctant to put on life jackets, saying they really feel uncomfortable as a result of extreme warmth and sweat throughout humid circumstances.

“Vacationers right here don’t wish to put on the life jacket, however the identical individuals use it with none criticism once they go to different international locations like Singapore or Malaysia. It’s as a result of the authorities there don’t enable a ship to maneuver if even one particular person is and not using a life jacket,” he mentioned.

Azahar Mulla, proprietor of boat Aayesha at Gateway, mentioned they’re dealing with challenges in implementing the obligatory life jacket rule as a result of passengers are reluctant to put on them, with many claiming they’ll swim properly. “Passengers solely put on it when MMB personnel are current on the jetty. In any other case, they ignore the boat house owners’ directions,” Mulla claimed.

A supply at Bhaucha Dhakka mentioned MMB officers, other than going about implementing the life jacket rule, have additionally instructed boat operators to not enable passengers to journey on the higher decks. “MMB officers are actually strictly monitoring compliance of this rule,” the supply mentioned.