Porvorim: River and Navigation Minister Subhash Phal Desai told the House on Monday that the government is first-ever solar-electric hybrid ferry boat was “not built as per the specifications.”
Phal Desai told the ongoing monsoon session that the state government has initiated inquiry after it was understood that the solar-electric ferry boat was not built as per the specifications.
He also conceded that the ferry boat has been rendered non-operational, due to which the state government has decided to allow the private players to run it on public private partnership basis.
The ferry boat was launched with much fanfare in October, 2022 by Phal Desai. State Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao, raising the issue during Question Hour on Monday, alleged that the tender to construct this ferry boat was given to “earn commission by the government.”
He pointed out that State Ports Department had warned that such a hybrid vessel was “not feasible for the state.”
The LoP said that the Port department, in its letter to the government, had said that the vessel was uneconomical, impractical and unsuitable for Goa’s weather conditions.
Alemao alleged that despite Port Department red flagging the purchase, this vessel was bought by the state government at the cost of Rs 3.97 crore.
Responding to the allegations, Phal Desai said that the River Navigation Department tried to repair the boat and run it on Betim-Panaji route in River Mandovi.
He said that the ferry boat was operated for three months before shutting it down for technical reasons.
Phal Desai said that the government is yet to release an amount of Rs 59.36 lakh to the builder of this ferry, after discrepancies were noticed in its construction.
