PM Modi arrives in Gujarat; inaugurates Ro-Ro ferry service

Ahmedabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated the first phase of the Ghogha-Dahej Ro-Ro ferry service, a first-of-its-kind project in India, calling it "a landmark occasion for entire South-East Asia".

Describing it as his dream project, Modi said the ferry service was his "invaluable gift to India" and claimed that the even for South-East Asia, this was the first project of its size.

He said it were his efforts that gave birth to this ferry service which he had heard about only in his school days.

"It seems implementation of all good works are my luck," Modi joked. "New changes don't come from cliched attitude but new thinking. We changed the way of thinking," he said.

He said the service would shorten a 360-km distance to 31 km or a journey of seven hours to one hour.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi was received by CM Rupani and Deputy CM Nitin Patel on his arrival in Bhavnagar district of Saurashtra in Gujarat, on his third visit to the poll-bound state, on Sunday.

Modi fled down to Saurashtra's Bhavnagar district to inaugurate the Rs 615 crore, 31km "roll-on, roll-off" (Ro-Ro) ferry service between Ghogha in Bhavnagar and Dahej in Bharuch district across the Gulf of Khambhat.

The idea of the ferry service was first conceived in early 1960s. The foundation stone for current works was laid by Modi in 2012 when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat.

When operational, the service is expected to reduce the travel distance between Saurashtra, locate in the western region of the state and South Gujarat by 360 km, saving time and money for people frequently travelling between the two regions.

The facility will also reduce travel time by at least five hours.

Many working in the diamond cutting and polishing hub of Surat in South Gujarat belong to the Saurashtra region and the service is expected to come as a boon for them.

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In the first phase, only passenger services would begin, while after the completion of the second phase, light vehicles can also be carried aboard the ferries.

Official sources claim that the second phase will be commissioned by the end of January 2018.

In the final phase, the ferries would also have facility to carry trucks between the two regions.

After his arrival at Dahej, Modi will travel to Vadodara to address a public rally at the sprawling Navlakhi Grounds.

He is slated to lay foundation stones and inaugurate projects worth Rs 1,140 crore in Vadodara before taking out a 14km road show to the Vadodara airport, and then fly off to New Delhi.

--IANS