A breezy, picture-perfect boat ride along the Hooghly river at Kolkata’s Prinsep Ghat sounds pleasant and harmless, right? Not quite. The official safety protocol mandates that life jackets for visitors must be worn and properly locked throughout the journey, yet the ground reality continues to be quite different.
During a recent boat ride, we found out that most of the life jackets that are provided to the visitors by the rowers before the boat ride have broken or non-functional buckles. This raises immediate questions about their effectiveness in case of an emergency.
“We buy one or two new jackets once a year,” said 56-year old rower Dibyendu Saha (name changed on request). “We buy them from Burrabazar through our association. It costs us Rs 250 for each jacket. If we try to buy new ones frequently, we have to shell out Rs 500 every week,” he added.
But why is the onus for safety gears on the boatmen? According to Saha, the government offers no maintenance. In fact, they have to pay the government and the boat’s owner out of their earnings.
“We have to pay the government for a rowing license and for the boat’s license. We also have to give a part of our monthly income to the boat’s owner,” he explained.
A life jacket with broken buckles at Prinsep Ghat
Adding to the concern is the absence of trained divers or a dedicated rescue team. “If there’s an accident, we are the ones who have to jump in the water,” he said.
But are the rowers even trained enough to rescue visitors who might be drowning? In response, the rower smiled awkwardly and said nothing.
A life jacket that cannot be fastened securely offers almost no safety to the visitors, especially in the strong currents of Hooghly river, where they can easily slip off Soumyajit Dey
He added that the river police officials conduct regular rounds and instruct them to ensure all the visitors are wearing life jackets before getting on the boat.
“They tell us not to allow anyone without a life jacket on the boat. But some visitors are reluctant to wear the jacket. So, the unofficial rule is that the visitors must slip on the jacket. But no one is really concerned about locking them,” he said.
A life jacket that cannot be fastened securely offers almost no safety to the visitors, especially in the strong currents of Hooghly river, where they can easily slip off.
However, much to the contrast of the on-ground scenario, stringent safety measures and protocols are there to be followed — at least on paper.
It is not just the life of the visitors, but also the life of the boatmen that is at stake Soumyajit Dey
A River Traffic Police official told My Kolkata that life jackets are mandatory for boat rides. “No, it cannot be that the life jackets are broken. The government provides maintenance,” he insisted even though he was notified of the situation on the ground.
In case of an emergency, there are no officials on the spot whose help can be requested, he said.
It is not just the life of the visitors, but also the life of the boatmen that is at stake.
“We have no shelter here, so our boat is our only home. We constantly worry about our safety and our boats during storms,” said Saha, who is a resident of Hooghly. He added that, as per regulations, at least one rower needs to be around his boat 24 hours a day.
As per regulations, at least one rower needs to be around his boat at Prinsep Ghat 24 hours a day
“I have an aid. He acts as a substitute when I have to go home. But, on the other days, I am here around the clock. Sometimes both of us are here,” he said.
The minimal infrastructure support brings to light the risk that the boatmen are subjected to everyday.
The concerns come in the wake of recent drowning incidents, including the death of Bengali actor Rahul Banerjee at Talsari on March 29, which underscores the importance of robust safety measures around water-based activities.
As footfall continues to rise, especially in the evenings or on weekends, the gaps in the safety preparedness raises a concerning question — if Prinsep Ghat is really equipped to handle an emergency on the water.