In a move to manage rising commuter traffic, the River Navigation Department (RND) has reintroduced traditional ferryboats alongside Ro-Ro ferries on the busy Ribandar–Chorao route during peak hours.
Speaking toO Heraldo, RND Director Vikramsinh N Rajebhosale said, “The traditional ferries will be operated in the morning and evening to clear the extra rush of passengers. Today also, we operated one ferry in the morning and two in the evening. This is being done to manage the rush. Anyway, the old boats which were earlier operating on the route are still available and can be used whenever required.”
He also clarified that the newly notified toll rates apply to the route as a whole, and not to any specific type of ferry service.
"The rates are for the route and not for type of ferry service," he said.
Meanwhile, Chodan-Madel Village Panchayat Sarpanch Ramakant Priolkar, along with other Panchayat members, met with the RND Directorate to request the deployment of two additional blue ferries to operate alongside the two existing Ro-Ro ferries during peak hours.
This move comes in the wake of a three-day ultimatum issued by Chorao villagers demanding the reinstatement of six traditional ferryboats, in addition to the two Ro-Ro ferries currently servicing the route.
The issue took a political turn when the Goa Legislative Assembly witnessed chaos on Tuesday over concerns related to the ongoing Ro-Ro ferry service, further highlighting the urgency of restoring adequate public transport on the Ribandar–Chorao stretch.