Kerala State Water Transport Department
Kerala State Water Transport Department (SWTD) is a governmental department that regulates the inland navigation systems in the Indian state of Kerala and provides inland water transport facilities. It stands for catering to the traffic needs of the inhabitants of the waterlogged areas of the Districts of Alappuzha, Kottayam, Kollam, Ernakulam, Kannur and Kasaragod. The department is headed by the State Minister in charge of transportation.
| Company type | Separate government department in the state of kerala. |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transport ferry service |
| Founded | 1968 |
| Headquarters | , |
Area served | Kerala |
| Products | Passenger and Cargo Ferry |
| Services | Operates 81 boats |
| Divisions | 13 |
| Website | http://swtd.kerala.gov.in/ |
This system consists of 1895 kilometers of waterways, including navigable rivers, backwaters, and man made cross canals. Most of these are in Travancore-Cochin region. Of the 44 rivers in Kerala, 41 of the westward flowing rivers combine with back waters and man made canals to form an integral part of inland navigation system.
Even through it is a commercial department, its functioning is like a service Department, ever since ‘Transportation’ came under "Essential Service" in Kerala. The Department transports about 150 lakhs of passengers per annum using Wooden/Steel and fibreglass passenger boats.
A study conducted in 2011-2012 by CPPR on Inland Water Transport in Kochi shows that around 56 percent of the passengers expressed their dissatisfaction over the quality of ferry service.