Minister of State for Shipping Shri Mansukh Mandaviya on March 15, 2020 visited ROPAX service at Bhaucha Dhakka in Maharashtra. He also visited ROPAX terminal and inspected the facilities created for the passengers as the ROPAX Service from Bhaucha Dhakka to Mandwa commences on March 15, 2020.
What is ROPAX Service
ROPAX service is a ‘Water Transport Service Project’, under Eastern Waterfront Development.
The benefits of this service include reduction in the travel time, vehicular emission and traffic on the road.
The road distance from Mumbai to Mandwa is about 110 kilometres, and gruelling road journey takes three to four hours, whereas by waterway it is about 18 kilometre and journey of just an hour.
Currently, about 15 lakh passengers commute annually by catamarans and launches from Gateway of India to Mandwa.
Mumbai Port Trust has developed ROPAX jetty and terminal facilities at Bhaucha Dhakka (Ferry Wharf) at the cost of Rs 31 Crores. Maharashtra Maritime Board has developed Breakwater, ROPAX jetty and terminal facilities at Mandwa at the cost of Rs 135 Crores.
ROPAX Vessel M2M -1 was built in Greece in September 2019. This Vessel is highly manoeuvrable and has a speed of 14knots, and will complete one way trip in about 45 minutes to an hour.
