Team Goemkarponn
Panaji: Residents of Chorao have demanded a reduction in ferry charges for locals and the deployment of additional ferries during rush hours on the Ribandar-Chorao route. The protestors have given the government a three-day deadline to address their concerns, warning that they will consider further action if their demands are not met.
At a public gathering near the Chorao ferry point on Monday, local resident Tony Noronha stated that while two-wheelers currently travel free and should continue to do so, the fare for four-wheelers should be reduced from ₹30 to ₹10 for residents. He also criticised the limited capacity of the newly introduced roll-on roll-off (Ro-Ro) ferries, saying they are inadequate to manage peak-hour congestion.
Noronha urged the government to deploy three additional traditional ferries alongside the Ro-Ro ferries, especially during peak hours — from 7 am to 10 am and 5 pm to 8 pm — to accommodate the growing commuter demand. “We are not against Ro-Ro ferries, but they alone can’t handle the traffic,” he said, warning that the community is prepared to escalate the issue if no action is taken.
Echoing similar concerns, another resident, Shrikrishna Chodankar, emphasized that for locals, especially the Chodankars, the ferry service is not a luxury but a lifeline. He noted that in the absence of a bridge, the ferry remains their only means of access to the mainland and called for a special gram sabha to be convened on the matter.
Chodankar also took exception to recent remarks by River Navigation Minister Subhash Phal Dessai, who suggested the government could withdraw the Ro-Ro ferries if locals are opposed to them. “We never said we don’t want Ro-Ro ferries. We want more ferry options and a fee rollback for residents,” he clarified.
In response, the River Navigation Department (RND) on Monday said it is open to discontinuing the Ro-Ro service if the local panchayat and MLA formally communicate such a request. Minister Phal Dessai stated that the Ro-Ro ferries, Gangotri and Dwarka, introduced on July 14, are not government-owned and replacing them with six traditional ferries would incur no financial loss to the state.
