Surat: Acknowledging the stiff natural challenges that halted Ghogha-Dahej ferry service, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that efforts are being made using latest technology to overcome these hurdles and expressed hope that the project will be revived again.
Modi also informed that Gujarat’s ports now account for 40% of India’s maritime trade.
“The Ro-Pax service between Gogha and Dahej has been facing challenges of nature. We are using modern technology to address these issues. I am hopeful that ferry service on this route will re-start,” the PM said.
Calling the ferry service a big Diwali gift to Gujarat, Modi said the project will be gamechanger in in reducing the logistic cost, easing pressure on highways, reducing pollution and fuel saving.
Modi said the country always had resources and expertise in waterways, but the past governments lacked the vision to use them, despite the fact that transportation through waterways is much cheaper compared to road and rail, and minimizes the adverse affect on the environment.
"Despite this, it was only after 2014 that work was done with a holistic approach in this direction. These rivers and seas existed even before Modi became the prime minister. What was lacking was the vision that the country has experienced after 2014," he said.
The Gujarat Maritime Cluster coming up in the GIFT (Gujarat International Finance Tec-City) City at Gandhinagar will be a dedicated system to address logistics of ports and seaways, he said.