Passengers stranded as RoRo water boat service stalls due to low tide

The newly launched RoRo water boat service between Vasai and Bhayander was disrupted on Saturday afternoon, leaving passengers stranded. According to Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) CEO Manik Gurusal, the service was affected by low tide and operations resumed after it receded.

Gurusal said Saturday’s full moon brought on an extreme low tide, leading to the service’s disruption. He also said that the service was in its experimental phase, aimed at understanding and addressing such challenges, especially since complete dredging work to clear sandbars along the route was still pending.

Commercial operations of the RoRo service between Vasai and Bhayander began on February 20th, offering a total of eight daily round trips. The service from Vasai operates from 6:45 am to 6:45 pm, while the Bhayander service runs from 7:30 am to 7:30 pm.

The RoRo boat, operated by Suvarnadurg Shipping and Marine Services Private Limited, has a capacity of 100 passengers and 33 vehicles per trip.