Will it? Won't it?

Many, many years ago, not like 100 years ago but some 22 years ago, there used to be ferry services between Mumbai and Goa, known as Konkan Shakti and Konkan Sevak. It used to start from Mazgaon at Bhaucha Dhakka  and end at Panaji in Goa, while dropping off passengers enroute at Raigad, Vengurla, Malvan, and Ratnagiri. Then came the more glamorous Damania group and then the Mughal Lines, where there was an up market ferry service, carrying 225 passengers, taking 8 hours for a one-way journey from Mumbai to Goa. There was also a ferry service from a US company – Sam Link which used to provide similar ferry services. But all ferry services were stopped in 2003 and since then there has only been talk of resuming these services but to no avail.

It looks like finally there is land ahead to the topic which was completely at sea for so long. Catamaran services between Mumbai and Goa is now scheduled to restart from April 2017. It would be a luxurious, air-conditioned ferry, having capacity to carry 200-300 passengers. It will have stops in Dighi in Raigad, Dabhol and Jaigad in Ratnagiri district, Vijay Durg and Malvan before docking in Panjim. One can get some fantastic views of the pristine Konkan coastline on this route.

But don’t hold your breath; we are never sure till it starts whether it will take off. In fact even after it starts, we usually cannot be assured that it will be a permanent thing. So for those looking at an alternate to road, can probably look forward to this sea route but to make it competitive against the airline services, it needs to price itself right. Let see first if the ferry leaves the dock! Pathetic that uncertainty is the only certainty here!