Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping, Water Resources and Ganga Rejuvenation Nitin Gadkari announced that Goa-Mumbai Ferry service will begin by December 2017.
This ferry service will be initiated under the Sagar Mala project - government's initiative to modernise India's ports. This project is estimated at INR 2.17 lakh crore.
The ship is expected to make stops at Vengurla, Malvan and Ratnagiri among other places to take on more passengers who would arrive in large hand-rowed canoes.
The mid-review meeting included representatives of all 12 major ports and Cochin Shipyard Limited, Shipping Corporation of India, Dredging Corporation of India, Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships, Inland Waterways Authority of India, DG Shipping, Tariff Authority for Major Ports, Indian Port Rail Corporation Ltd and Indian Ports Association.
The Mumbai-Goa ferry service is not a new mode of transport as this service was operational till the 1980s. The mid-60s and 70s saw the Konkan Shakti and the Konkan Sevak dominating this route. One sailed from Goa to Mumbai, while the other carried passengers from Mumbai to Goa. However, these steamers were co-opted for use during the Sri Lanka war and no longer sailed on this route. After that, a hovercraft service was initiated, which saw a good run till 1994.
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