Prime Minister Narendra Modi will virtually inaugurate a Ropax Ferry Service between Ghogha in Bhavnagar of Saurashtra region and Hazira in Surat on 8 November.
This will be a Diwali gift from the Prime Minister for the people of Saurashtra who have been living in Surat since many years, said Union Minister of State for Shipping Mansukh Mandvia.
Meanwhile, the state’s Ro-Ro ferry service between Ghogha and Dahej is still closed. The government has announced the launch of one more Ro-Ro ferry.
Ro-Pax ferry service between Ghogha and Hazira will run three times a day. Due to this ferry service, Surat can be reached in just four hours from Bhavnagar. Due to Ro-Pax ferry service, the distance between Bhavnagar and Surat will be reduced from 370 km to 90 km.
The ferry service is estimated to carry five lakh passengers a year. Due to this ferry service the goods will be transported in four hours instead of eight hours. This will save 9,000 liters of fuel per day and 33 lakh liters fuel per year.
The Ropax service will make three round trips a day and approximately 5 lakh passengers, 80 thousand passenger vehicles, 50 thousand two-wheelers and 30 thousand trucks will be able to move in a year.
According to one estimate, with 3 trips per day, 24 MT of carbon emissions per day can be reduced. The Ropax service will make the journey between Surat-Saurashtra less expensive and easier. It will boost the tourism industry. The water transport will reduce the burden on road and rail traffic. The Prime Minister will also flag off the Ropax ferry on the 8 November to increase connectivity with Bangladesh. The reason for the closure of Ghogha and Dahej ferry service was the changed flow of Narmada. Terminals for service were also to be built at Ghogha and Hazira.