Mumbai-Goa Ferry Remains A Dream, Even In 2017

There was a point in our history when the only way to travel was by sea. To get anywhere - even somewhere as close as Goa - involved the magical process of boarding a ship and setting sail for your destination. In 1989 most of the passenger ships were requisitioned by the Indian Navy for the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) operations in Sri Lanka. 2017 was the year ship services between Mumbai and Goa were to be resumed, after a 26 year hiatus. 

The joint decision between the Mumbai Port Trust (MPT) and the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) to restart regular ferries, would have changed how several of us approach travel. The ferry begins at Ferry Wharf or Bhaucha Dhakka in Mumbai, and would continue on till Goa, with a few stops on the way—Dighi in Raigad district, Dabhol and Jaigad in Ratnagiri district, Vijay Durg and Malvan before rounding off the journey at Panjim.

Although this plan was announced last year, and was due this year in March or April, there has been little to no news about the ferry being operational. A senior official from MMB said, “We are evaluating proposals from various shipping companies who have shown interest in starting the service.” The service has been in the news several times, with little to no action following it up which is surprising as the project has gained a lot of public support, not only from tourists but from regular passengers who are looking for an easy and economical option. This would have also been the first time since the 1980’s that a regular ship between Mumbai and Goa was operational. 

In other news, there has been yet another announcement, stating that April 2018 will be when a new ferry service will start up at Mumbai’s Ferry Wharf and go up to Mandwa, that will allow you to take your car aboard! The ferry will accommodate 300 passenger cars, and 100 trucks and tempos. Not only would this initiative help save time, but it would also be an eco-friendly alternative.

Featured image courtesy Edition CNN