The has decided to formulate a new policy to promote safe transportation and trade in inland waterways by replacing the 19-year-oldOdishaBoat Rules of 2004.
Though the government formulated the Odisha Boat Rules, 2004 to ensure registration and proper checking of passenger and cargo boats in the inland waters, the law lacked teeth, resulting in rampant movement of many unlicenced vessels in unsafe conditions in the rivers and in the Chilika lake, sources said. Besides, poor enforcement activities and safety audit of the condition of the transport vessels led to many instances of boats capsizing. While some incidents were fatal, in other cases the passengers escaped by a whisker. According to NCRB data, 79 people died in such accidents in the state in 2021, the highest in the country. In 2020, with 58 deaths, Odisha was at third position afterBihar(65 deaths) and Uttar Pradesh (69 deaths).