Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Nov 16: The long-awaited roll-on roll-off (RoRo) ferry service linking Divar island to Old Goa is likely to become a reality by mid-2026, river navigation minister Subhash Phal Dessai announced on Saturday. He was speaking during the inauguration of the newly constructed ferry ramp at Divar.

Phal Dessai said the department is working towards launching the service within the next six to nine months. “Say by July, we will start RoRo ferries for the people,” he said, expressing confidence that the long-pending project is finally on track.

Ferry services on the Old Goa–Divar route had been suspended since October 6 to allow urgent repairs to the damaged ramp. The minister, however, highlighted that the sluggish pace of work was largely due to limited cooperation from the PWD and internal constraints faced by the river navigation department (RND).

“We don’t have independent authority. We cannot float tenders, nor do we have engineers. Works remain pending because we have no execution agency. For the last 10 years, works given to the PWD have not yielded any results for us,” Phal Dessai said.

Tariff Concerns for Chorao Islanders

Responding to criticism over RoRo ferry fares on the Ribandar–Chorao route, the minister questioned the resistance to the nominal fee of Rs 15 per car. He suggested that local panchayats identify island residents and provide them with ID cards to avail 50% concession, while visitors and tourists would be required to pay regular charges.

“There are people who don’t want to pay even Rs 15. This is not the proper approach,” he remarked.

He added that completely waiving ferry charges could overwhelm the service with tourists, causing congestion and delays for island residents in need of essential travel.

Warning against attempts to disrupt RoRo operations, Phal Dessai said, “These are essential services. If the people’s demand is genuine, we will look into it.”

With the new ramp in place and planning underway, the state government hopes to significantly improve connectivity for Divar and Chorao islanders in the coming months.