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3 min readBhopalUpdated: May 14, 2026 05:29 AM IST
NDRF and other rescue personnel conduct an operation to recover the cruise boat, carrying 29 passengers and two crew members, that overturned in Bargi Dam due to a sudden storm, in Jabalpur district, Madhya Pradesh. (PTI Photo/File)
More than two months before the cruise boat capsized in Jabalpur’s Bargi Dam, killing 13 people, officials at the state-run resort operating the vessel had formally warned senior authorities that the engines of the ageing cruise boats were repeatedly failing and required urgent replacement.
An internal letter dated March 1, 2026, accessed by The Indian Express, shows that officials at the Maikal Resort and Water Sports Complex, under the Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation had, raised concerns about both the cruise boats operating at Bargi Dam, describing them as “nearly two-decade-old and increasingly unreliable”.
The letter, addressed to the regional manager of the tourism corporation in Jabalpur, stated that the two cruise boats — ‘Maikal Suta’ commissioned in 2006, and ‘Rewa’ commissioned in 2007 — had undergone repeated repair work but continued to develop recurring engine problems.
“Both cruise engines have undergone repair work several times, but now they break down repeatedly,” the letter stated, adding that authorities had been informed “many times through letters”.
The communication specifically refers to a January 14, 2025 incident involving the ‘Rewa’ cruise boat, when “both engines stopped (seized) during a round”. According to the letter, Hyderabad Boat Builders, the company associated with repairs, informed the unit via email that the engines had become too old and spare parts were no longer available. The recommendation, the letter noted, was that “both engines should be replaced”.
The warning extended to the second vessel as well — the ‘Maikal Suta’ cruise, the only operational big cruise boat at the site at the time of the disaster on April 30.
Officials running the unit wrote that one of the engines on the ‘Maikal Suta’ was “not taking load properly”, creating difficulties while docking and during operations on the water. The letter said that during “strong winds or waves”, operators sometimes had to rely on a speed boat to manoeuvre and stabilise the vessel.
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It also recorded repeated starting trouble in the second engine, noting that the boat’s self-starter gear would frequently jam, forcing suspension of cruise services. “Because of this, cruise boat services have to be stopped,” the letter stated, adding that tourists had expressed anger over interruptions.
The document repeatedly stressed urgency.
“Repair work or engine replacement is extremely necessary,” it said, warning that without immediate intervention, cruise operations “may have to be stopped at any time”. The letter urged authorities to complete repairs or replace engines before the tourist season intensified.
The disclosure raises fresh questions about the condition of the vessel involved in the April 30 tragedy, and whether operational risks linked to ageing infrastructure were adequately assessed before allowing passengers onboard.
Officials had earlier maintained that the capsizing was triggered primarily by sudden weather conditions and high winds. Survivors, however, have alleged delays in response, confusion over life jackets and difficulty in manoeuvring the boat once the weather deteriorated.
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The tragedy has claimed at least 13 lives, including multiple members of visiting families from Tamil Nadu and Delhi. The state government has ordered an inquiry and suspended similar cruise operations across Madhya Pradesh pending safety review.
Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More
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