GUWAHATI: One day after the shocking incident of a ferry going missing on the Brahmaputra River and later found by the SDRF was reported, ferry services between Nimati ghat in Jorhat and Majuli have been suspended owing to dense fog on Tuesday morning.
The Inland Water Transport (IWT) department decided to suspend the ferry services between Nimati ghat and Majuli due to the presence of dense fog, so that any untoward situation can be averted. The incident on Monday also created a scare for the IWT and it decided to be safe than sorry in the face of inclement weather conditions.
Due to the dense fog, the ferry vessels, which are the primary means of transport between Jorhat and Majuli, are now being unable to take passengers from the Jorhat side to the other side of the Brahmaputra, even though the water level has deceased in the Brahmaputra River at that particular point.
They are likely to resume the service when the conditions of fog over the river are no longer a hindrance to the movement of the vessels.
It should be mentioned here that yesterday, on June 19, a Majuli-bound ferry boat bearing the name MV Lohit was reported missing in the heart of Brahmaputra River while traversing the route, leading to great panic among the people residing in both districts.
The ferry was on its way from Nimati Ghat in Jorhat to Kamalabari, Majuli, and it was carrying 134 passengers and 32 motorcycles. Sometime after its departure at 1:30 pm, the ferry went missing in the dense fog over the river, creating concern for the safety of those on board.
Responding to the distress call, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) promptly started a search and rescue operation from Kamalabari in Majuli to locate the missing ferry and its passengers.
Majuli SP Bibekananda Das stated that the presence of heavy rainfall, fog and limited visibility led to the ferry being halted in a low-lying area. It was also learned that the GPS system was either not present on the ferry or not in an operational condition. This incident highlighted the importance of the GPS navigation system.
Displaying remarkable efficiency and dedication, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) immediately swung into action and successfully conducted a search operation to rescue passengers stranded aboard the ferry. The proactive efforts of the SDRF personnel paid dividends and the ferry was located, with all the passengers safely brought back to land. Riding ahead on a speed boat, the SDRF guided the ferry towards land ensuring proper direction and finally arrived at the ghat at approximately 4:20 PM.
Also Watch: