Puri: In view of the upcoming tourist season during winter, Puri district administration decided Thursday to launch a mobile app to facilitate hassle-free booking of boats by tourists at Chilika lake. Through the app the tourists can also make payment for the rides. Only boats that are registered with the district administration will feature in the app. Strict action will be taken against owners of non-registered boats, officials said.
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District Collector Balwant Singh spoke at length with senior officials and members of Satapada Boat Owners’ Association in this regard. “The Chilika Development Authority will soon launch a mobile app for computerised and equitable allotment of boats,” Singh informed.
Feedback will be taken from the boat owners’ association regarding the proposed mobile app, prior to its launch. Singh emphasised on courteous and fair dealing with tourists. A guideline was also issued for boat operators at Chilika lake.
Singh stressed on mandatory registration and renewal of it for boats providing tourist services at Chilika. He also said that all boats should have life jackets pertaining to the capacity of the vessel and they should be properly maintained.
A meeting was convened for the purpose at the circuit house here. Tourism Department assistant director Sashank Sekhar Rath, district emergency officer Itishree Nayak, Sadar SDPO Kishore Chandra Mund and several other senior officials attended the meeting.
PNN