Ghogha-Hazira RoPax ferry: During the Diwali holidays, the Ghogha-Hazira RoPax ferry transported several passengers and vehicles in the state of Gujarat. According to the official sources quoted in an IE report, the newly launched ferry has transported at least 4,157 number of passengers as well as 997 vehicles. Launched between the two destinations in Gujarat by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 8, the Ghogha-Hazira RoPax ferry service saw the highest occupancy on Wednesday when it transported as many as 853 passengers and 190 vehicles across the Gulf of Khambhat. Between 13 November 2020 and 18 November 2020, the RoPax ferry transported 4,157 people and 997 vehicles including bikes, cars and trucks.
Captain Devendra Manral, CEO of Indigo Seaways Private Limited, was quoted in the report saying that we are now operating at an occupancy of 90 per cent. Indigo Seaways is the company, which operates the newly launched Ghogha-Hazira RoPax ferry. The number of passengers travelling from Hazira to Ghogha, during the Diwali holidays, was more than that from the other side. For example, nearly 56 per cent of the travellers and around 59 per cent of the vehicles were on the route from Hazira to Ghogha.
At present, the new Ghogha-Hazira RoPax ferry service operates one round trip between the two destinations. Just three days after the launch of the RoPax Ferry, it had suffered initial hiccups and its services had to be suspended for two days after it developed a technical snag. Indigo Seaways is looking at stabilizing the ferry service as well as making it more punctual, Manral added. The Central government had earlier said in a statement that the total cost of the Ghogha and Dahej RoPax Ferry service project was estimated at an amount of Rs 615 crore including the construction of terminal, capital dredging, as well as other costs.