Cell formed to expedite Ro-Ro ferry project January 2013 Deadline For Starting Service Missed Rajeev Khanna | TNN Gandhinagar: A de-bottlenecking cell has been formed by the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) to expedite work on the proposed Roll on and Roll off (Ro-Ro) ferry service between Ghogha in Bhavnagar and Dahej in Bharuch. Having missed the January 2013 deadline for the service’s start date, the government is now aiming to launch the service in January 2014. Sources said that the delay has also meant an increase in the cost of the project by several crores. A senior official said, “The de-bottlenecking cell that has been set up a few days ago will study the problems that are leading to the delay in the project and will provide solutions so that the work is put on the fast track.” The official said that only 37% of the work on the project has been completed to date. “Marine structures are being put in place. The work on the stone bunding is complete. At present, we are working on dredging and the establishment of the channel from where the ferries will turn at the Dahej end.” The official also disclosed that the GMB has already submitted its request for qualification (RFQ) for running the service. Players from Australia, England and Europe have expressed their interest in running the service. The top brass of the GMB had also held a road show in Europe last year to promote the proposed service. The ferry distance between Dahej and Ghogha will be 17 nautical miles (32 km), which is almost one-tenth of the distance by road. The distance by road between Bharuch and Bhavnagar is 340 km, which takes more than seven hours to cover. Once the Dahej-Ghogha service gets going, the GMB plans to introduce Ro-Ro ferry service network across the coastal belt of the state. It plans to expand the service to the other major port destinations in the Gulf of Kutch and in south Gujarat. Clearly, the ferry service offers an enviable alternative to road transportation, but one has to wonder whether the government has the ability to efficiently execute its lofty goals.
Posted on: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 04:21:25 +0000
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