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Gujarat will get its second ro-pax ferry service connecting Hazira in Surat to Ghogha-Bhavnagar in Saurashtra. The Prime Minister Narendra Modi will virtually inaugurate the service and the newly-developed ro-ro terminal at Hazira on November 8.
The Union Minister of State for Shipping (Independent Charge) Mansukh Mandaviya made the announcement on Sunday stating that the ro-pax ferry service will cater to the transport requirements of about 20 lakh migrants from Saurashtra living in Surat.
“A large number of people from Saurashtra migrate to Surat for business and employment purposes. It takes them a road journey of 10-12 hours to return to their hometowns from Surat. But after this Ro-pax ferry service, they can reach Bhavnagar in just four hours,” said Mandaviya adding that the service will carry vehicles, goods carriage, motorcycles, cars besides the passengers.
There is an operational port at Hazira, where a jetty has been taken on lease for the ro-pax ferry service.
Cost- & time-saving
The road distance of 370 km between the two locations will now be reduced to just 90 km through sea route.
“This will also open the doors for tourism in Saurashtra, as people from Surat and across South Gujarat would be able to easily travel to tourist destinations,” he said.
Notably, the first ro-pax ferry service in the State between Ghogha in Bhavnagar and Dahej in Bharuch was launched by the Prime Minister in October 2017. But the same has been discontinued and a passenger-only service will operate once a week. Suspended due to siltation at Dahej, the passenger-only ferry service at Dahej will also resume on November 8.
The ro-pax ferry between Ghogha and Hazira will make three trips a day. At this rate, it is projected to carry about 5 lakh passengers, 80,000 passenger vehicles, 50,000 two-wheelers and 30,000 trucks in a year. This will potentially save about 9,000 litres of fuel every day, which will also reduce the carbon footprint. The estimates show that every three trips in a day could potentially save about 24tonnes of carbon emissions.
The Union Minister also stated that the Centre will also start similar ferry services in Kochi in Kerala and in Brahmaputra river as well as in Karimganj in Assam.
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