Agra, May 5 -- Boating services which came to a halt after the tragic death of 16 devotees last month at Kesi Ghat of Yamuna in Vrindavan, resumed with more than 100 boatmen being registered. The registration took place after boatmen complied with the norms set for the safety of visitors. Chandra Prakash Singh, district magistrate, Mathura, handed over registration certificates and licences to boatmen at Kesi Ghat in Vrindavan, on Sunday. "The boating facility had been halted for the last month after the death of 16 devotees from Ludhiana on April 10. Shortcomings were highlighted and it was found that rules and regulations for maintaining safety measures were not being complied with by boatmen," the DM said. "As such the total process was reviewed and to ensure compliance of safety measures we have outlined certain standards which includes making life jackets mandatory for boatmen and visitors availing boating facilities. The boatmen need to be trained and the boats used need to be strong enough to bear the load it carries. "Lakhs of devotees reach Mathura and Vrindavan and repose trust in us, thus, we are responsible for their safety and security. The Mathura Vrindavan Nagar Nigam had laid down certain security norms to be complied with during boating on the Yamuna, in 2024, but were unfortunately not complied with. We have clearly communicated about strict compliance, and both boatmen and visitors availing boat facilities will have to wear the standard life jackets," he added....