Pochavaram’s tourist boat services and ferry operations in Andhra Pradesh’s Chinturu revenue division have been suspended from October 26 as a developing weather system is expected to bring heavy rain, thunderstorms and lightning to coastal Andhra Pradesh and the Godavari river basin.
Chinturu sub-collector and Integrated Tribal Development Agency project officer Chittapuli Narendra Padal said the weather system could cause the Godavari’s water level to rise, creating risks for passengers using the Pochavaram ferry point. The suspension has been ordered as a precautionary measure to protect people using the services.
According to weather forecasts cited by the administration, a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm. The system is expected to affect coastal Andhra Pradesh and areas around the Godavari basin with heavy rainfall, thunderstorms and lightning.
The order applies to both tourist boat services and ferry operations at Pochavaram. All boating activities at the ferry point will remain suspended until further instructions are issued, Padal said.
The decision places passenger safety ahead of the continued operation of river transport during a period of heightened weather risk. A rise in the Godavari’s water level, combined with strong winds, lightning and reduced operating conditions, can affect the safety of boats and ferries, although the administration’s statement did not provide a projected river-level increase or specify the expected duration of the weather event.
Boat operators, owners and concerned officials have been instructed to comply strictly with the directive. The suspension was issued under regulations associated with the Inland Vessels Act, 1917, which governs the operation and safety of inland water transport.
Pochavaram’s ferry point serves both tourism-related boat movement and local river crossings. The temporary halt therefore affects visitors as well as passengers who rely on ferry operations in the area. The administration has not announced any alternative transport arrangements in the supplied statement.
The order will remain in force until the authorities issue further instructions. Resumption of boating services will depend on subsequent directions from the administration after the weather conditions and Godavari river levels are assessed.
