Elephanta boat tragedy: Thane civic body tightens safety measures at boating locations

Thane Municipal Corporation officials visited Masunda lake, Upvan lake and Ambeghosale lake where boating facilities are available. (Pic/Thane Municipal Corporation)

In light of the Elephanta boat tragedy, Municipal Commissioner Saurabh Rao on Friday has instructed to take necessary safety precautions at all the lakes where boating facilities are available in the jurisdiction of the Thane civic body.

In an official statement, the Thane Municipal Corporation, stated that there are a total of 35 lakes under its jurisdiction. Among them, paddle boats and machine boating facilities have been provided for the entertainment of the citizens at Masunda Lake, Upvan Lake and Ambeghosale in the central part of Thane.

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There are 35 paddle boats and two machine boats at Masunda Lake, 16 paddle boats and one machine boat at Upvan Lake and four paddle boats and one machine boat at Ambeghosale Lake. Contractors have been appointed for the same, TMC said.

The Thane municipal administration has also ordered to implement all necessary measures from the point of view of the safety of the citizens coming for boating and to make every citizen wear a safety jacket while going for boating.

Instructions have also been given to the contractors concerned to keep Buoys Ring Rope Safety Jacket in the boat.

Deputy Commissioner of Environment Department, Dr Padmasree Bainade, and Chief Environment Officer Manisha Pradhan on Friday visited all the three lakes where boating facilities are available and instructed the contractors not to be negligent towards boating safety, the civic body stated.

Rao has also appealed to residents coming for boating to follow the instructions given by the municipal corporation from time to time.

Elephanta boat tragedy: Life jackets mandatory at Gateway of India

A day after a ferry-Navy craft collision claimed 13 lives off the Mumbai coast, authorities on Thursday made life jackets mandatory for all people taking boat rides from the Gateway of India, reported news agency PTI.

Some tourists, however, said the life jackets would be of help only if people know how to use them. The authorities should instruct people how to use the life jackets in case of an emergency, they said.

Some survivors of the Elephanta boat tragedy on Wednesday claimed the ferry did not have enough life jackets.