Ludhiana, April 10 The Ludhiana administration has set up dedicated control rooms here and in Jagraon after a boat carrying tourists, primarily from Punjab, capsized in the Yamuna River in Vrindavan on Friday afternoon, leaving at least 10 people dead and several others missing, officials said.
Deputy Commissioner here, Himanshu Jain, said that authorities in Punjab are already in contact with their counterparts in Vrindavan.
Dedicated helplines – 01624223226 (SDM Jagraon office) and 01612403100 (Deputy Commissioner Office Ludhiana) – have been set up, he said.
Jain said that as soon as the incident came to the notice of the district administration, special teams comprising both civil and police officers have already been dispatched to Vrindavan for better coordination amongst the authorities.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also spoke to his Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath.
In a post, Mann said, "Today, a boat carrying residents of Jagraon city (Punjab) for darshan in Vrindavan capsized in the Yamuna River near Mathura while carrying 32 people. It is with great sorrow that I must inform you that some devotees have died by drowning. I am in contact with the Uttar Pradesh government."
The accident occurred near Kesi Ghat when the boat carrying over two dozen tourists moved into deeper waters and hit a floating pontoon, the officials said.
Authorities noted that a pontoon bridge had recently been dismantled in the area due to rising water levels, leaving some pontoon drums in the river, one of which the boat is believed to have collided with.
Some people could still be missing and rescue operations are on, officials said.