Boat services in Odisha’s Chilika Lake suspended till 11 am daily amid dense fog, fatal ferry incident

The Puri district administration has suspended boat and ferry services in Chilika Lake till 11 am daily until further notice amid dense fog and severely reduced visibility.

The decision comes a day after dense fog disrupted ferry movement on the lake, leading to a vessel getting stranded mid-water due to poor visibility. During the incident, a passenger fell into the lake and died after slipping from a floating platform, officials confirmed.

According to the district administration, all categories of water transport, including small motorboats, passenger ferries, cargo boats and floating platforms, have been barred from operating on Chilika until visibility conditions improve.

Death Triggers Administrative Action

On Thursday, a passenger ferry operating on the Chilika route was affected after thick fog obscured navigation channels, causing the vessel to lose direction and halt mid-lake.

As per reports, the ferry was travelling from Satapada to Jahnikuda with around 50 passengers, a bus and two cars onboard was stranded for several hours due to dense fog. During the journey, one passenger, identified as Uma Shankar Sabat of Berhampur, went missing, triggering a search operation.

Family members said Sabat had boarded the ferry and was seen onboard shortly before he disappeared. Fishermen later recovered his cap and slippers from the lake, while some passengers reported hearing a sound suggesting a fall into the water. Search operations were hampered by continued fog and low visibility.

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Collector Issues ‘Extremely Urgent’ Advisory

In an official advisory marked “Extremely Urgent,” the Puri district collector stated that heavy fog and poor visibility pose serious risks to life and property, significantly increasing the likelihood of marine and riverine accidents.

Local administration and police have been instructed to conduct continuous monitoring at ferry ghats to prevent unauthorised movement. Block Development Officers (BDOs) have been asked to carry out public announcements through loudspeakers to inform residents and commuters about the suspension.

The notice added that any violation of the suspension order would be treated seriously, and appropriate action would be initiated against responsible officials or operators. The suspension will remain in force until visibility conditions improve or further instructions are issued by the district administration.