TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Over a year after River Navigation Department talked of commencing ferry service between Dona Paula and Mormugao as also introducing new ferry routes, the proposal is heading nowhere as the State government is still in the process of drafting the document for inviting expression of interest for the project.
The process for identifying new ferry routes for Goa has made no progress since July 2012, though bids were invited and eight companies had bid to prepare feasibility report for inland water transport in November, last year. The move, however, did not go well with RND Minister Ramkrishna Sudin Dhavalikar who had in April, this year announced on the floor of House the re-floating of the tenders by inviting expression of interest by July. However, till date the process is grounded. RND director James Braganza said that department is still in the process of drafting the document according to which interested companies or agencies would be asked to explore the techno-feasibility of the new routes on the state inland waterways. “The companies can come with their own vessels and explore the feasibility or can appoint some experts who will spell out the kind of vessels for various routes,” he said.
The Goa government’s ambitious proposal for identifying and introducing new ferry routes and launch services in the State’s inland waterways had begun in July last year after Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar announced the proposal in his 2012 budget speech. The mandate before the selected consultant was to prepare the techno-feasibility report for identifying new ferry routes and re-start of the launch service from Panjim to Mormugao. New ferry routes from Panjim to Shiroda, Panjim to Aldona and others would be the focal areas.
The government’s intention to have new ferry routes was aimed at reducing road traffic congestion. A report which should have been in hand way back in December 2012 seems to be running behind schedule and it is not clear as to when new ferry routes, ferries and high speed boats would actually be seen along Goa’s inland waterways.
