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

Tourists in Puducherry demand government oversight of private sea cruises due to safety concerns and lack of regulation.

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.