RailEnquiry

Tuticorin-based Shilpa Marine would begin salvage operation on Friday to pull out the tug boat that remains stuck between rocks near the Pamban rail bridge for nearly a week.The tug boat, owned by Kolkata-based Titagarh Marine, was towing a barge to Karwar to hand it over to the Indian Navy when it crashed into the Pamban bridge on Sunday after anchor failure. The barge was pulled back with the help of mechanised fishing boats on Sunday itself and anchored at Rameswaram port, but the tug boat remained stuck in the rocks.An official in the Pamban Port office told The Hindu that the Kolkata-based company issued the work order to Shilpa Marine on Thursday. Experts would inspect the boat on Friday and make pre-arrangements before pressing their rescue vessel into service. As it would take 7 to 8 hours for the vessel to reach Pamban from Tuticorin, it was expected to arrive here on Saturday, he said. The Kolkata-based company confirmed the issue of work order to Shilpa Marine when the Pamban port sent a reminder to Titagarh on Thursday to immediately pull back the tug boat. The company, which did not reply to its first letter dated January 14, sent a text message to a port official on Thursday, confirming the issue of work order. Representatives of Shilpa Marine also confirmed the receipt of the work order and told the port officials that they would start the work on Friday, the official said. Though the company tied up with the Tuticorin-based company for salvage operation three days ago, the operation could not begin immediately as the work order was not issued, probably because of bank holidays, the official said.