In a major move to ease travel woes during the Ganesh festival, the Maharashtra government’s fisheries and port department is planning to introduce roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) boat services from Mumbai to Goa. Nitesh Rane, the minister for fisheries and port department, announced this initiative, highlighting that the service aims to reduce travel time and provide greater convenience to devotees heading to the Konkan region.
The Ganesh festival, celebrated with immense pomp and enthusiasm in the Konkan region, sees a massive influx of Konkan natives who reside in Mumbai, Thane, Mira Bhayandar and Navi Mumbai. Despite the state government deploying additional state transport buses during the festival season, the demand for more travel options remains high.
To address this recurring issue, the government has decided to launch the Ro-Ro boat service, which will allow passengers to travel with their own vehicles. The Ro-Ro service will enable travellers to board the ship at Mazgaon Dock in Mumbai and disembark at Devgad in Sindhudurg within four and a half hours. The service will also extend to Goa, with a total travel time of approximately six and a half hours.
Rane also mentioned that the M2M boat service model is inspired by a similar Ro-Ro service operated by businessman Vivek Jadhav. “This initiative will provide much-needed relief to thousands of devotees and improve overall travel experience during Ganesh Chaturthi,” he added.
