Bhagalpur: The district administration has issued a fresh set of 12 guidelines to ensure the safe operation of boats and vessels on the Ganga following the collapse of a nearly 33-metre section of Vikramshila Setu, which disrupted road traffic between south Bihar and the Kosi-Seemanchal region in north Bihar.The guidelines were issued after a team led by Bhagalpur DM Alankrita Pandey inspected several ghats, including Biada Ghat, to assess waterway transport arrangements, available facilities and passenger safety.The DM on Monday directed officials to ensure continuous monitoring and barricading at the ghats and maintain strict vigilance during boarding and disembarking at Biada Ghat, Janhavi Chowk and other ghats in the district. Boat operators have been instructed not to carry passengers beyond the prescribed capacity. Overloading will invite strict legal action, the administration said.Magistrates, home guards, fire service personnel, disaster mitras, police teams and other designated personnel will monitor security arrangements at the ghats round the clock.Magistrates will inspect boats and ferries daily to check the condition of railings, safety nets, entry and exit routes and other essential safety features. Any deficiency must be rectified immediately, while boats with serious safety defects will remain suspended from operation until the issues are resolved.Officials have also been directed to ensure the availability of life jackets and other safety equipment and exercise caution while transporting vulnerable passengers, including those who are seriously ill. Medical assistance and alternative safe transport will be arranged, if required, for critically ill patients, pregnant women and other high-risk passengers.Doctors, medical officers, medical teams and ambulance personnel will be deployed at the ghats concerned, with emergency medical assistance kept ready.The administration has also prescribed requirements for obtaining legal permissions, conducting technical inspections and ensuring compliance with safety standards before new boats or ferries are put into service.Attendance of personnel deployed at each ghat, inspection dates and timings, identified deficiencies and corrective measures will be recorded daily. Officials have also been directed to preserve photographs document security arrangements and the condition of boats.
