Gujarat planning more Ro-Pax ferry services, says Rupani

Rupani was speaking at a business meet in Dahej, about 100 kilometres from here, after arriving on the Ghogha-Dahej Ro-Pax (roll on/off-passenger) ferry which he inaugurated a few hours earlier at Ghogha in Bhavnagar.

He said the state government was exploring the possibility of connecting Kutch to places like Dwarka, Somnath and Porbandar via the sea route using ferries.

"My government will start a ferry service between Ghogha and Hazira (in Surat) by December. Later it can be extended to Mumbai," Rupani said Saturday at a meeting of industrialists and transporters in Dahej.

Ajay Bhadoo, Vadodara municipal commissioner and former chief executive officer of Gujarat Maritime Board said a DPR (detailed project report) for Jamnagar-Kutch ferry service has been approved.

He said with a 1600 kilometre coastline, Gujarat can develop coastal infrastructure and bring about economic development.

Nitin Mankad, president of the Federation of Gujarat Industries said the Ghogha-Dahej and Dahej-Hazira ferry services will help businesses flourish and attract entrepreneurs to set up factories in the region.