Ro-Ro Ferry Service to Revive Vijaydurg's Maritime Legacy After 40 Years.

After a gap of more than 40 years, passenger boat services are set to resume at the historic Vijaydurg port in Maharashtra. The launch of a roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) ferry next week is expected to cut the travel time between Mumbai and the Konkan region to just five and a half hours.

The Ro-Ro ferry, capable of carrying both passengers and vehicles, is part of the state government’s plan for South Asia’s fastest Ro-Ro service connecting Mumbai with the Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts.

Maharashtra Port Minister Nitesh Rane announced that the service will begin on September 1 from Bhaucha Dhakka in Mumbai, with regular stops at Jaigad in Ratnagiri and Vijaydurg in Sindhudurg.

A Historic Revival

The resumption of services is being hailed as a revival of Vijaydurg's rich maritime tradition, which came to a halt in 1983 when the passenger vessels Konkan Shakti and Konkan Sevak ceased operations.

"This will be the first time that a passenger boat will directly berth at Vijaydurg," said port inspector Umesh Mahadik. He recalled that the old vessels used to anchor in the deep sea, with smaller boats ferrying passengers to the shore. The new ferry, he said, will dock directly at the port.

For local residents, the return of maritime travel is a nostalgic moment and a hopeful sign for the local economy. Akaram Tamhankar, 80, a resident who once worked in Mumbai, reminisced about the 12-hour sea journey from Mumbai to Vijaydurg, a common mode of transport before modern highways.

Economic and Touristic Boost

The new service is expected to significantly boost tourism and local economic activity. Riyaz Qazi, the sarpanch of Vijaydurg village, noted that the ferry will not only encourage tourists but also help transport cargo like mangoes during the season. He believes the service will positively impact a large area, including Devgad, Vengurla, and Sawantwadi.

The historic Vijaydurg Fort, once the naval headquarters of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, has a long history of seafaring. Rajiv Vasant Parulekar, founder of the Vijaydurg Fort Utsav Samiti, emphasized the potential for the service to harness the region's tourism potential but also suggested that the government consider lowering ticket prices to make it accessible to the middle class.