Flood threatens abandoned vessel

Ship weighing 120 tonnes moored in river with rusting chains

MIANWALI:

A big river transport vessel lying abandoned near Kalabagh may endanger the infrastructure downstream if it is swept away by floodwater.

Kalabagh was a business hub with most of the trade carried out through the Indus river before a railway bridge and the Jinnah Barrage were built.

A long time later, an inland water transport company was formed in 2010 for river transport between Kalabagh and Attock. Land was acquired at Dawoodkhel for the project.

Within a year, a ship named Haathi was made. It was 35 feet long and six feet wide, weighing 120 tonnes.

The vessel is moored in the river near Kalabagh, but may get swept away by floodwater and hit the barrage, because it is tied with rusty chains and pegs.

A leader of local traders, Akram Niazi said while speaking to The Express Tribune that the vessel should be examined and moved to a safe location in view of the prevailing risk of flood.

The vessel had been lowered into the river in July 2013, but it got stuck in sand on the left bank during its first trip.

It was found impossible for such a big and heavy vessel to traverse the river due to lack of ample water in Tarbela Dam, sand and rocks. Operated with a second-hand engine and mostly made from scrap, the vessel has been stationary for the past nine years and about Rs1 billion spent by the transport company has gone to waste.

A local resident, Malik Asfand, said an expensive ferry service had been launched a year later, but its income remained low because of high expenses.

He suggested that the ship should be converted into a hotel after being moored permanently at a suitable place.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 6^th, 2023.