A day after a collision between a ferry vessel and a Navy craft off the Mumbai coast claimed 14 lives, the authorities on Thursday made it mandatory for all passengers and crew members to wear life jackets onboard boats leaving from the Gateway of India. The move was, however, met with resistance, with some passengers flat-out refusing to don the flotation devices, citing discomfort and the heat.

AMID the imposition of new safety measures, one detail stood out: most ferries were suddenly stocked with brand-new life jackets—some still with price tags attached or handed out in their original plastic wrapping, sparking questions as to why such basic precautions were not enforced earlier. While ferry operators at Apollo Bunder jetty had procured safety jackets, many passengers were arguing with the service provider over making it compulsory to wear the life jackets. In fact, those working on ferry vessels claimed that prior to the mishap, there had been cases where passengers started arguing when asked to wear jackets as a precautionary measure.