The Gogha-Dahej roll-on-roll-off ferry service connecting Saurashtra with southern Gujarat across the Gulf of Cambay will start on Saturday, making it possible to cross the gulf in just 1.5 hours, the government announced on Wednesday.
It said a successful trial was conducted wherein 12 loaded trucks were transported across the gulf via sea route.
The land route between the two places involves a 294 km or an eight hour drive which would be reduced to just 31 kilometres by the Ro-Pax (roll on/roll off passenger) service enabling trucks to cover the distance in just 1.5 hours, it added.
"This is an important development for diamond and textiles traders and workers in Surat to travel via coastal shipping and save the travel time by almost half," the Shipping Ministry said in a statement.
It said the fully operational service with carrying capacity of 100 vehicles and 500 passengers will be opened on Saturday.
Speaking after the trail run, Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari said the Sagarmala programme was touching lives of people.
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The total cost of the project is estimated to be Rs 615 Crore of which Rs 117 Crore has been funded by Central government under the Sagarmala programme aimed at promoting coastal shipping and reducing logistics costs.
"The initiative would not only reduce the travel time but also result in savings in fuel, reduction in carbon emission and reduction in road congestion," the statement said.
"The project is a first-of-its-kind in India as it is being executed in the area of world's second highest tidal range," it added.
--IANS
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