<img title="Illustration/Ravi Jadhav" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2017/mar/9-water.jpg" alt="Illustration/Ravi Jadhav" /> Illustration/Ravi Jadhav
The fishermen community and passenger ferry services navigating the Versova creek and Malad-Marve area can finally breathe easy. The Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) will soon start dredging work in the creek and nearby areas to clear the creek bed and waters of the accumulated muck for smooth and safe passage.
Clearing the way As per the plan, the work will first be carried out at the mouth of the creek near Versova village, where a majority of the koli community stays. It is also the spot where the fishermen anchor their mid-sized to big boats.
"The locals dependent on fishing for their livelihood are the ones facing a lot of inconvenience while taking their boats out through the creek. Even passenger ferries have been affected because of the deposits in the creek. Hence, dredging will be done at the mouth of the creek," said MMB chief Atul Patne.
There are 400-odd big fishing boats, having an engine, and 300-odd small ones in Versova village.
Local Shiv Sena leader and a member of the fishermen community Sunil Bole said, "There are close to 800 small and big boats in our village. All of our community members are dependent on fishing for livelihood, but due to the muck and silt settled at the bottom, it has become difficult to take the boats out. Sometimes, the boats even get stuck in the silt and sink, affecting business. Dredging is the need of the hour."
Troubled waters Locals told mid-day that dredging had been done in that stretch 10 years back, but nothing was done after that and the situation became bad again.
During Ganpati visarjan, devotees too have had to face a lot of inconvenience - visarjan of big idols that happens in Versova village gets delayed as the boats are able to operate only during high tide.
The MMB's plan to start the dredging at the mouth of the creek near Shiv Galli in Versova village first will also help the passenger boats going to Madh Island.
After this, there are plans to carry out dredging at Gorai and Manori, another stretch frequented by fishing boats and passenger ferries, an important mode of transportation for the locals and tourists visiting Essel World, the Global Vipassana Pagoda and Manori.

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