Guwahati, Dec. 15: A department which has literally "steadied the ship" to ferry thousands to safer shores across Assam everyday, is today struggling to find a permanent leader to anchor its own vessel.

As many as nine directors have changed seats in the state's inland water transport (IWT) department in the past seven years hindering, among other works, decision-making in the department.

For the past couple of years, the All Assam Inland Water Transport Engineers' Service Association has been pressing the powers that be for appointment of a "full-time" director for at least three years.

"Several representations have been made in this regard but to no avail. On December 1, we had a meeting with state transport minister Ajit Singh during which the issue was discussed along with various others such as filling up the technical posts and regularisation of services of the promoted engineers. The minister had advised the director to take necessary steps," the general secretary of the association, Diganta Talukdar, told The Telegraph today.

A director also holds the post of the chief ship surveyor who registers a vessel after a survey.

"Not just this, a director plays a significant role in assessing the river routes and makes suggestions on selection of vessels for different routes on the basis of a study that takes time. His is a critical role when it comes to decision-making and, therefore, we have been pressing for the appointment of a qualified technical officer permanently or at least for three years," Talukdar said.

"Absence of a permanent director affects decision-making and this, in turn, affects progress of work in a department that is directly connected to people," he said.

Assam has the largest inland waterways network in the country and the state's navigable inland waterways extend 1,983km out of India's total 14,544km, comprising 44 rivers, the longest being the Brahmaputra.

There are 97 ghats under three divisions - Guwahati, Dibrugarh and Silchar- of the department.

Dayaram Rajbongshi, who was earlier with the Guwahati Municipal Corporation as an additional commissioner, assumed charge as the "full-time" director of the department on November 30. State additional chief secretary (personnel) Subhash Chandra Das, when asked about the "chop and change", said: "Almost all the directors appointed since 2009 held additional charges, but I am not aware on what basis they were transferred/posted to other departments. However, we now have a full-time director (Rajbongshi) in the department."

A full-time director is one who does not hold any additional charge. Sources in the association, however, said the present director is there only till February.

"He may be appointed a full-time director, but will be here for a short period as he retires in February 2016. So the issue is far from being settled," Talukdar said.