Arakan is the only Burmese State using waterways widely for public transportation as its coastal location helps the initiative. But, there is currently no government owned commuter-ships in the State, said local residents.
Due to no state-owned commuter-boats, the Arakanese people have to face difficulties in their daily activities.
“The government stopped the ferry service in the Arakanese coastal areas last year soon after a ship capsized. Since the ship, namely Aung-da-gun-3, sank in the Kyauk Pru Sea coastline, the authority banned the ferry service subsequently along the coastal area,” informed Ko Aung Naing hails from Taung-gup.
The sinking of the ferry Aung-da-gun-3 on 13 March 2015 caused the death of 200 lives. There were some passengers still in the missing list. The authority declared that the ship was overweight and hence it sank.
As the government stopped the State-owned ferry services, the private-owned commuter boats replaced the ferry routes. The people complained that the private ferry services claimed more fares from the passengers.
“Earlier we used to pay only 1000 Kyat for a ticket to cover a short distance and 5000 Kyat to cover long distances in the government run ferry ships. Now one passenger has to pay 23,500 Kyat for a ticket travelling from Sittwe to Taung-gup and Sittwe to Man-Aung in private ferry ships,” said another Arakanese national U Win Shwe.
The residents of several towns like Taungup, Ram-bree, Mray-bon, Man Aung and Kyauk-Pru of Arakan State are still reliant on water ways. Sittwe, the capital of Arakanese State, is well connected with all these towns by water ways.
Arakan State Minister of Electricity, Industry and Transport U Aung Kyaw Zaw informed that the State Government was planning to build three ferry ships with the help of Myanmar Inland Water Corporation.
The Japan government is supposed to give the aid for the project, but the minister could not declare the time it would take for completion.
