People take perilous journey due to stoppage of Ro-Ro service

Malkangiri: The roll on-roll off (Ro-Ro) boat service started by the district administration across Saveri river from Motu, has been paralysed owing to technical glitch forcing people to risk their lives to cross the rivers in country boats.

According to sources, the administration has procured the Ro-Ro boat at an estimated cost of Rs 35 lakh with an aim to bring down travel time between Odisha and neighbouring states and provide better transport facilities to the people. However, the service has been stopped for the past eight months.

Owing to the absence of proper transporting facilities people are forced to depend on taking perilous journey across the rivers on a daily basis.

“We have to cover a distance of 150kms as the boat service has been lying defunct. Steps should be taken immediately to restart the service,” said a passenger Prashant Kumar Sahu.

“We have a constant fear of drowning of boat when there are excess passengers. With no other option left, we are dependent on regular country boats,” said another passenger.

Locals alleged that despite repeated appeals to the local administration to resolve the issue nothing concrete has been done yet.

On the other hand, additional district collector said that steps will be taken to address the issue on priority basis.

“There are some technical glitches in the boat which will be repaired in the next seven days," said Ayodhya Kanta Sathpathy, Assistant District Magistrate of Malkangiri.