Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India’s first phase roll-on, roll-off (ro-ro) ferry service in Gujarat (Source: Twitter/PMO)
In his third visit to poll-bound Gujarat in recent weeks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated the country’s first roll-on, roll-off (Ro-Ro) ferry service. The ferry service, which is also the “biggest in south Asia”, will cut short the eight-hour, 340-km journey between Bhavnagar district’s Ghogha and Bharuch’s Dahej in Gulf of Cambay to just an hour.
Speaking at the inauguration, PM Modi said, “I am happy to be in Gujarat to personally convey new year greetings. This programme may be for a ferry between Ghogha and Dahej but this programme is of vital importance for the entire nation.”
“Today, entire Hindustan is getting an invaluable gift via Ghogha. Ghogha-Dahej ro-ro ferry service is the first of its kind in India and biggest in south Asia. This ferry service is likely to bring back those glory days of Bhavnagar coast,” the PM added. Also Read: What is Gujarat’s Ro-Ro ferry service?
PM Modi also said the service will benefit 12,000 people who travel between south Gujarat and Saurashtra every day. Hitting out at previous UPA governments at the Centre, the prime minister said: “Previous governments had blocked development along coastline of Gujarat in the name of environment protection. But that has changed since you sent me to Delhi for serving you. There are plans to extend this service to Hazira, Pipavav, Jafrabad, Daman and Diu in Gujarat and Mumbai also.”
He also said the government is planning to set up a maritime university and maritime museum at Lothal.
Meanwhile, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who was also present at the inauguration, said that the Ro-Ro ferry service will cover 31 km by sea, the longest in India. The Ro-Ro can carry up to 250 passengers and up to 100 vehicles including cars, buses and trucks.
The term of the current Gujarat Assembly will end by January this year and the election dates are yet to be announced. The moment the dates are announced by the Election Commission, the model code of conduct will come into force which will bar announcement of any populist schemes that may influence voters.
The chief minister, however, quashed all suggestions that the inauguration had anything to do with the upcoming elections, and said that the Gujarat government has been working hard since the last three years to get the Ghogha Dahej Ro-Ro ferry up and running.