Tourists want govt to monitor functioning of sea cruises by private players

Tourists want government to strictly monitor sea cruises operated by private players in Puducherry.
| Photo Credit: S.S. KUMAR

Tourists want government to put in place a proper mechanism to monitor sea cruises operated by private groups on a regular basis in Puducherry.

After formulating the Puducherry Water Sports and Adventure Sports Guidelines, 2018, the Tourism Department has started giving permits to individuals to start boating facility for tourists. Prior to the framing of the policy guidelines, the boat house operated by the Pondicherry Tourism Department Corporation at Chunnambar was the only boating facility available in Puducherry.

After 2018, several private players have launched services from coastal hamlets, including Thengaithittu harbour, Pondy Marina, Art and Craffs Village area and Veerampattinam in Puducherry. 

The operators have put up advertisements in prominent places in the town to attract tourists. They also personally approach tourists thronging the Beach Promenade and Boulevard area offering sea cruise. Tourists have now started raising apprehensions about the safety aspect of the boats and skills of engine drivers who operate the boats to sea. 

“We were approached by someone on the Beach Promenade offering boating from a nearby place. We took an autorickshaw, to the jetty and from there we were taken for a ride to the sea. All the passengers were given life jackets, but we had a very scary ride. Our boat almost collided with another. We felt the sailor was inexperienced and the boat was overcrowded,” said a tourist from Bengaluru who recently visited Puducherry.

According to a retired Fisheries Department officer, there are doubts whether all the boats carrying tourists to sea have taken permission. “Many fishing vessels are now being used to ferry tourists to sea from Thengaithittu harbour and nearby locations. We don’t know whether all of them have got permission to operate sea cruises,” he said. 

It was mandatory that engine drivers of tourist boats get certificate from the National Institute of Water Sports (NIWS), Goa. They also need to get their certificate renewed after undergoing proper training. The certificate was issued after testing the swimming skills of the sailor, the retired officer said.

Director of Tourism Department, K. Muralidharan said diversification was necessary for achieving the growth momentum in the tourism sector. “We had only one boating facility at Chunnambar operated by PTDC and diversification was necessary to provide more avenues for tourists. We now have 76 private boats in operations. Wherever there have been violations, we have taken action. We have served show cause notice to three operators in the recent times. The guidelines are strictly followed,” he said.

As per the guidelines, the operator has to adhere to all safety norms issued by the Adventure Tour Operator Association of India, New Delhi and NIWS. The guidelines included display of carrying capacity of the boat, emergency contact details, validity of registration, storage of sufficient number of buoyancy aids for all age groups and the operators have to make available one rescue boat in full readiness by Outboard Motor.

“What we need is strict monitoring of the operations. We should also conduct an audit of the boats used by the fishermen to ferry tourists,” the retired officer said.