Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Goa Pradesh Congress Committee on Wednesday gheraoed River Navigation Department (RND) Senior Superintendent Vikramsingh Bhonsle, demanding an immediate safety audit of all ferry boats operational in the state. The protest follows the recent sinking of a ferry boat at Chorao.
Addressing the media, Goa Congress President Amit Patkar alleged that the RND was “playing with the lives of Goans” by allowing unsafe ferries to remain in operation. He claimed that critical safety measures, including the presence of buoys and firefighting equipment, were not being implemented as required.
Patkar further alleged that the Chorao ferry sank due to a hole in the vessel — contradicting the official version given by the RND. “It was not a mechanical fault as claimed by Bhonsle, but a structural issue that was ignored,” Patkar said.
The Congress has announced that it will raise the issue in the upcoming session of the Goa Legislative Assembly, demanding accountability and improved safety protocols to prevent such incidents in the future.
