Mumbai : Four months after it was proposed, the city will finally see its first domestic cruise service. The Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) is likely to start its domestic cruise services this October. These services will operate from Ferry Wharf in Mumbai to Dighi port in Raigad district.
Ferry Wharf which is the city’s premier fishing port is set to refurbished by the Mumbai Port Trust which will provide the necessary infrastructure. An MMB official said, “The MbPT will provide the shed and waiting area for passengers at Ferry Warf.”
The authority has recently appointed a local operator to run the cruise services. “It depends on the operator from where he would purchase the cruise for operating the services. October month is set as a deadline for operating the domestic cruise services,” added the official.
The cruise will have a capacity of 300 passengers. The cruise ship will be like a luxurious passenger vessel. We will start with the refurbishing the vessel once the permission is granted by Mumbai Port Trust,” said a local ship operator.
According to MMB officials, the domestic cruise services would help in boosting domestic tourism. Passengers will be able to travel comfortably to the Konkan region which is gaining reputation as a tourist destination.
“We will soon extend our cruise services upto Jaigarh and Dabhol ports in Ratnagiri district,” said an MMB official.
By road, it takes around 12 hours or more to reach Dighi and Dabhol. However, the ship will take less than seven hours including halts along the way. “We want Mumbaikars to experience the feel of travelling in a cruise. The cost for travelling in a cruise is yet to be decided. However, the rates would be kept nominal,” added an MMB official.
He said, “The cruise will not be a luxurious one, however it would give the travellers a good experience. We have also planned for cultural programs inside the cruise for entertainment.”
“We are now discussing with other local operators for extending our services up to Goa and Tarkarli village in Sindhudurg district,” he added.
(To receive our E-paper on whatsapp daily, please click here. To receive it on Telegram, please click here. We permit sharing of the paper's PDF on WhatsApp and other social media platforms.)
