'Waterways Should Be For Public, Not Just Expensive Cruise Ships’: Hindu Advocacy Group Demands Waterway Connection Between Mumbai & Mangaluru

Mumbai: Hindu Vidhidnya Parishad (HVP) – an association of right-wing Hindu advocates – has urged the state government to introduce affordable, year-round passenger water transport along the state's coastal belt. The group emphasised that water transport should not remain an exclusive luxury for cruise tourists and demanded operations from Mumbai to Karnataka's Mangaluru via regional ports along Konkan, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, and Goa.

Letter Sent To Maritime Authorities

On Friday, HVP wrote to the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) and the state’s Home Secretary for ports and transport, highlighting the severe congestion on existing rail and road networks. The organisation noted that long-distance trains running from hubs like Delhi and Chennai offer limited availability to local residents traveling between Mumbai, Konkan and Goa.

"Local citizens who agitated for the Konkan Railway often struggle to secure general compartment reservations, while passengers from other states benefit," the letter stated, emphasising that sea routes offer a natural, low-capital alternative to costly highway projects and toll infrastructure.

Sea Routes Could Provide Low-Cost Alternative

To substantiate their appeal, HVP cited data from a September 2025 Ministry of Commerce and Industry report 'Assessment of Logistics Cost in India’. The figures showcase sea transport as the most economical transit mode at only Rs 1.80 per km compared to airway cost of Rs 72 per km.m

The advocacy group pointed out that Maharashtra previously sustained successful passenger ferry services, referencing popular former vessels like 'Konkan Shakti', 'Konkan Sevak' and the 'Damania Catamaran'. Drawing comparisons to successful contemporary models, HVP highlighted a solar-assisted Ro-Pax service that has efficiently transported over 15.7 lakh passengers, 2.17 lakh cars, and 1.99 lakh cargo vehicles running between Gujarat's Hazira and Ghogha. It also cited international high-speed ferries like the HSC Francisco operating between Argentina and Uruguay, which travel at speeds up to 58.1 knots.

In the letter to the maritime authority, HVP has demanded a time-bound introduction of a dedicated passenger-and-vehicle ferry service covering the entire coastal line from Mumbai to Mangaluru with pocket-friendly tariffs and utilising existing ports across Konkan and Goa for daily passenger movement rather than restricting them to commercial freight and cruise liners.

The group urged the maritime board to prioritise public utility over commercial ventures, noting that opening waterways to everyday citizens will boost local economies, promote eco-friendly tourism and allow travelers to seamlessly transport personal two-wheelers and four-wheelers along the coast.