Daman-Diu ferry service may finally see light of the day

Surat: The Daman-Diu ferry service, which has been talked about for years now, finally seems to be getting a push.
The administration of Daman and Diu has hired the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) for carrying out a technical and economic feasibility survey for the ferry service from Daman to Diu and Mumbai to Diu. The SCI is seeking an online survey from public on suitable timings for their travel needs from Daman to Diu and Diu to Daman.
It’s the long distance from south Gujarat and Daman to Diu that keeps most of the visitors away from travelling to Diu. It takes almost 15 hours from Surat by road to travel to Diu. However, the ferry service from Daman could drastically reduce the travel time to Diu to only six hours.
Adviser to administrator of Daman, Diu and DNH S S Yadav told TOI, “The SCI has commissioned a technical and economical feasibility survey for the viability of ferry service from Daman to Diu and Mumbai to Diu. The study report is expected by the end of January 2018. We are hopeful that the study report will be positive and the administration is fully prepared to start ferry service for increasing the tourism opportunities in Diu and Daman.”
Sources said the administration is planning to introduce large boats known as catamarans in the ferry service. These large boats have seating capacity exceeding 120 people. Once the study report is submitted by the SCI, the administration will start working on creating infrastructure for the ferry service at Daman and Diu as well as in Mumbai. Around two large-sized boats will be inducted into the service in first phase of the project.
The administration of Daman and Diu had signed a memorandum with the SCI for starting the ferry service between Daman and Diu in 2014. The project cost of the ferry service was estimated at Rs 400 crore.
“We are concerned about the distance from Daman to Diu in sea. Both the towns have distance of 140km by sea and it takes around six hours to reach in a ferry. We have to check technical feasibility of the project before starting the service,” Yadav said.