Narrow escape for Ganguly’s brother, sister-in-law after boat capsizes in Puri sea, probe ordered
Puri, May 26 (PTI): Former Indian cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly’s elder brother Snehasish Ganguly and wife Arpita had a narrow escape while enjoying a speedboat ride in Puri sea, prompting the district administration to order an inquiry.
Though the incident occurred on May 24 evening, it came to light on Monday.
Puri district collector Siddharth Shankar Swain said, "I have ordered an inquiry to look into the circumstances leading to the mishap. If lapses are found with the operator in terms of safety protocols, action will be taken."
Official sources said Sky Drive Adventure and Water Sports, a private operator, was granted permission by the Odisha Coastal Zone Management Authority to conduct water sports activities.
Puri SP Vinit Agarwal told PTI, "Though the mishap occurred on Saturday afternoon, family members did not lodge any formal complaint at the nearby police station. After being informed, we contacted the family, and legal action will be taken if there are any lapses on the operator's part. The local Baliapanda police station has been asked to verify whether the incident occurred due to natural reasons or human error."
Meanwhile, a video footage aired by local television channels showed the boat being hit by a massive wave, losing balance and capsizing in the turbulent waters.
"We were saved by the grace of God. I am still in trauma. This should not happen, and water sports in the sea must be properly regulated. I will write to Puri SP and Odisha Chief Minister after returning to Kolkata," Arpita said in a video available with PTI.
Recounting the ordeal, she said the boat was struck by a wave almost ten-storey high, which led to the vessel flipping over, throwing all passengers — including her and Snehasish — into the sea.
"Thankfully, prompt action of lifeguards saved our lives," she added.
Local police said lifeguards deployed on the beach rushed to the spot and rescued the tourists on board. They used rubber floats to ensure the tourists’ safety.
A visibly shaken Arpita blamed the mishap on the "greed" of the adventure sports operators.
She alleged that the boat was unstable, with only four passengers aboard a vessel designed for 10, making it unbalanced and ill-equipped to withstand the heavy tide.
"Due to less weight, the boat lost balance and could not encounter the huge wave. The sea was already very rough," she said, adding that adventure activities need to be stopped because of strong currents in Puri sea.
Arpita said, "The operators assured us it was safe. But shortly after venturing out, a huge wave hit the boat and it capsized."
Demanding that the government should tighten regulations on water sports, Arpita said the authorities should consider banning such activities here.
Locals claimed that the speedboat was operated by untrained staff working under a private adventure company.
"The crew lacked proper skills to handle high tides and the company ignored essential safety protocols mandated for such activities," an eyewitness said.
It was further alleged that the company was conducting water sports without requisite permission from the Puri district administration.
Sources said the private operator had obtained a ‘No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Wildlife Division, Puri, District Tourism Officer, Puri, and Puri Police. It was also granted permission to undertake sea sports activities from Odisha Coastal Zone Management Authority, sources claimed.
VIDEO | Puri, Odisha: Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) President and brother of former Indian cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly, Snehasish Ganguly, and his wife Arpita Ganguly were safely rescued after they encountered a horror as their speedboat capsized off Puri coast.… pic.twitter.com/rWCOB4bgYm
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 26, 2025
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Mumbai-Pune Expressway connecting link now fully operational
Mumbai (PTI): The Mumbai-bound carriageway of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway connecting link was opened to vehicular traffic on Saturday noon after a delay caused by the dismantling of inauguration infrastructure and cleaning work, a day after the Pune section became operational.
The 13.3 km-long "missing link", which bypasses a section of the Bhor Ghat stretch of the expressway and cuts travel time between Mumbai and Pune by 25 to 30 minutes, was inaugurated a day earlier by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in the presence of Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar.
The Pune-bound carriageway of the corridor was opened to traffic immediately; however, the Mumbai-bound section remained closed to traffic for several hours after the inauguration.
An official of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation told PTI on Saturday that the opening of the Mumbai-bound carriageway was delayed mainly due to the dismantling of the inauguration infrastructure and cleaning work.
The removal of the stage and other decorations was completed in the morning. The work to load and transport the material slightly delayed the opening of the carriageway.
Vehicular movement on the carriageway began after all the remaining material was cleared and road cleaning was completed, the official added.
The expressway control room said that despite significant vehicular movement, the access-controlled highway has not witnessed any major traffic snarls since Friday evening, after the Pune-bound carriageway of the missing link was opened to traffic.
The Missing Link project connects Khopoli (in Raigad) on the Mumbai side to Kusgaon near Lonavala in Pune district and is expected to make the expressway fully access-controlled, easing congestion in the ghat section.
Developed by the MSRDC and dubbed an "engineering marvel", the project includes two tunnels, two viaducts and a cable-stayed bridge over Tiger Valley. It bypasses the steep, accident-prone ghat section, where frequent traffic snarls are reported during weekends and on public holidays.
