A passenger launch ferrying travellers from Balugaon in Khurda district to Krushnaprasad in Puri district was stranded for an extended period in the middle of Chilika Lake.
Sources reveal that the launch was overcrowded beyond its safe capacity, leading to chaos on board and eventual immobilisation.
Despite seven launches being stationed near the Balugaon office, only two were operational, and one was tasked with transporting all passengers, raising serious questions about safety protocols. The overloaded vessel failed to navigate properly, leaving passengers stranded mid-lake.
After frantic communication with the Balugaon office, another launch was dispatched to rescue the stranded travellers and bring them safely to the Krushnaprasad jetty. Passengers bound for Balugaon also had to be rerouted similarly.
This isn’t an isolated incident. On July 23, a similar situation occurred when a launch from Krushnaprasad to Balugaon was stuck for over half an hour in the lake. Despite repeated public complaints, departmental authorities have yet to take concrete action.
Locals argue that with multiple launches available, deploying only one for such a busy route is irresponsible and invites recurring mishaps. If authorities continue to ignore the issue, a public agitation seems inevitable.
