Ferries run only with over 600 commuters aboard per day
07 Oct 2020 - Source: Global New Light of Myanmar
Three Cherry ferries are running daily for the people from Dala and its surrounding townships to reach the commercial hub of Yangon City. With the declining number of passengers during COVID-19 outbreak, the ferry vessels are operating with only a few passengers. People are not going outside after the regional government has declared a stay-at-home announcement to contain the spreading of coronavirus. This is the reason why the ferry and Z-craft vessels have reduced their routes to ensure the convenience of the passengers and preserving the flow of the cargos. Depending upon the availability of passengers, the ferry vessels are still running along their routes without suspension of the transport service, according to the Delta Division of Inland Water Transport (IWT).
Before the outbreak of COVID-19, the three ferry boats have been running 46 times per day for 30,000 commuters approximately. Now, the ferries are operating 16 times a day on weekdays and 12 times a day on weekends. However, the number of passengers has also dropped to over 600 commuters, a dramatical drop, said Daw Ti Ti Myint, manager of Yangon Pansodan ticket office. Likewise, Yangon Wahdan (Keighley)-Dala Z-craft, carrying cargoes and vehicles, has also reduced its routes during COVID-19 period. Now, Z-craft is running seven courses per day to take 12 tonnes of freight and 80 cars. Previously, nearly 600 vehicles containing cargos and passengers are travelling daily. Now, food vehicles, house-owned vehicles and emergency vehicles are using the Z-craft.
The Yangon Pansodan-Dala jetty, Yangon Wahdan (Keighley)-Dala Z-craft jetty and Dala Township highway terminals are crowded with the passengers daily before COVID-19 outbreak. With the rise of the COVID-19 confirmed cases in Yangon Region, Yangon is now in thunderous silence. The people should cooperate to contain the spreading of the pandemic, following the government's rules and regulations.—Naing Lin Kyaw (Dala)(Translated by Hay Mar)
