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When water becomes road for land transport........

It's a common scene in Kerala.....particularly in districts filled with backwaters. When it's not possible to make bridges to connect roads across backwaters, big boats are used for transport. Vehicles like buses, cars, trucks etc with people will be carried to the other side by using big boats, and they continue journey. Apart for Alapuzha district, such transports are available in Kochi and Thrissur (Azhikode Kodungallur).



Azhikode is my most recent experience, a couple of years ago. It's really a pleasant journey to travel more than 1km through water like a ship enjoying the beauty of backwaters. We can come out of our cars and enjoy the beauty scenery as if we were boarded on a ship. Is such mode of transport available in any other part of our country except Kerala?
Sandhya Rani
Category: Travel & Tourism

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Answers (6)

Those boats that can carry people and vehicles at the same time are called Ferries or Barges and yes, they are used in other parts of country too. In Maharashtra they are mainly used in Konkan backwaters and to cross creeks. In Goa too they are quite common, I have traveled in such barges in Goa as well as in Konkan. Other parts of country, I do not know for sure, but wherever such water bodies exist, they would be naturally used. I think they might be prevalent in Karnataka too.
Answered
Kalyani Nandurkar
Obviously you have used Ferry for the first time. In my place Vizag located on the shores of Bay of Bengal Ferries are a common transport mode . They carry heavy loads like Buses and Trucks to the other shore.
These Ferries are being used in many parts of the sea BASED places or wherever there is no other possibility of reaching the other shore. It may be a sea or a river. I have seen in Farakka also the practice of using ferries.
Answered
rambabu
I have traveled in all available boats connected with state transport in Kerala and elsewhere like some parts of Bihar and Assam. Now our government is thinking seriously to make waterways to reduce pressure from road transport.
Answered
suni51

It definitely makes sense to use this natural water way to decrease the pressure on our roads. Even nOw water ways are used for commercial purposes like carrying tiles and other local materials to other places from Mangalore. It is probably cheaper but riskier.. I wish they had more passenger ferries that connect the coastal towns and villages which wd greatly help in reducing pollution on the land. Because it is comparatively slower than road transportation, probably it is not as popular, although it is used by people who are not in a hurry and also want to enjoy the experience

 

Answered
usha manohar

I never traveled long distance using a boat but I personally feel it will be a good option to reduce the traffic pressure on the road. 

Answered
Bajirao

During my visit to Kerala, I took a ferry from Vypin to Fort Kochi and it was a wonderful experience. The ticket was less than 10 rs and it was a short coverage. Most of the locals use ferries to commute and it is a common sighting in the beautiful land of Kerala.

Answered
Nipun A
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