KOCHI: Better road connectivity might have made it possible for people living in the mainland to use private vehicles. But it is not the same for those who live in neighbouring islands and commute here for work. Moreover, many people prefer travelling using water transport due to traffic jams in the city.But a day spent at the Ernakulam Boat Jetty gives an entirely different perspective. At the boat jetty, boat services are available to Mulavukad, Vypin, Fort Kochi and Mattanchery via Fort Kochi-Willingdon Island.There are seven government passenger boats servicing 48 trips per day. The capacity of these boats varies from 100 to 125. These are available every 20-30 minutes. Many private boats are also operating in Marine Drive as tourist boats.“The Goshree Bridge has reduced the number of passengers to Vypin. But, people going to Fort Kochi and Mattanchery prefer boat services to bus, as it saves time. The other factor which attracts people to water transportation is its low cost,” an employee at the jetty said.The flow of passengers is very high during peak hours, especially from 8 to 9 am and 6 to 8 pm, and Sundays.Sometimes, old damaged boats are used to handle the hustle-bustle. Regular passenger Sumitha said, “Boats are insufficient during rush hours. The number of trips must be increased during such periods.”“After monsoon, the boat jetty is surrounded with sludge. This is really unhygienic,” said Nelson, another regular passenger, who commutes to the mainland for work. Anna and Cooper, tourists from the USA, recently enjoyed the beauty of monsoon during a ‘good, fast and efficient’ boat journey. But they didn’t appreciate stepping out of the boat into the mud and muck. Moreover, there is no toilet facility in the Tourist Boat Jetty. Private boat owners have their own woes. A boat owner said, “The number of tourists is very less nowadays. Most of them are Indians. Foreigners are not as enthusiastic for boating as before.’’
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