The Government of Keralam on October 09, 2026, issued the Draft Kerala Mechanically Propelled Inland Vessels (Conditions for temporary service, Suspension and Cancellation of Certificate of Survey) Rules, 2026.
The rules prescribe the procedure for issuing provisional and regular certificates of survey for mechanically propelled inland vessels in Kerala. A provisional certificate may be issued by the surveyor upon receipt of an application in Form No. 3 and payment of the prescribed fee, and shall remain valid for a maximum of 60 days. The regular certificate of survey must be issued before the provisional certificate expires, subject to compliance with the applicable Act and Rules. During the provisional period, vessels must operate within the approved plying limits, adhere to the specified passenger capacity, comply with safety and pollution-prevention requirements, display the provisional certificate prominently, and report crew changes in writing to the surveyor and the port of registry.
The Registrar of Inland Vessels may suspend a certificate of survey for specified violations and issue a notice identifying the deficiencies to be rectified. The certificate shall be returned and the suspension revoked once the required corrective measures are satisfactorily completed. The certificate may also be cancelled for non-compliance, misrepresentation, or submission of false or erroneous documents, following the prescribed notice procedure. Where a certificate has been obtained using false or erroneous documents or through misrepresentation, the responsible owner, operator, master or construction yard may be disqualified from applying for a fresh certificate and may face legal proceedings. The prescribed fees shall be payable in cash, by remittance to the designated authority’s account, or through the Kerala Nouka e-portal, and fees paid under these Rules are non-refundable.
All Stakeholders and the public may submit objections or suggestions in duplicate to the Secretary, Fisheries and Ports Department, Government Secretariat, Thiruvananthapuram, within 30 days from the date of publication of the notification in the Official Gazette. The Government will consider the submissions received within the stipulated period before finalising the Rules.
[Notification No. G.O.(P)No.23/2026/F&P]
