Ticketing system proposed for Divar-Old Goa ferry

Panaji: The government is considering a new ticketing system for the Divar-Old Goa ferry route. This comes after discussions between local leaders and the minister for river navigation, Subhash Phal Dessai. He believes that with Goa being a popular tourist spot, it’s important for ferry services to start making money. Currently, Goa has about 30 ferry boats operating on 18 routes, and only four-wheelers are typically charged a fee. Phal Dessai mentioned that previous efforts to introduce ticketing were met with opposition from local residents, but now the local councils support the move. The goal of ticketing is to improve service and generate revenue. Residents of Divar would get discounts on their tickets, while tourists would have to pay full fees. Phal Dessai noted that the ferry services currently face financial difficulties. The annual operating cost is around Rs 75 crore, but the revenue is only Rs 56 lakhs, which is less than 1% of the costs. He emphasized that it is hard to request new boats when revenue isn’t increasing. Although the ticketing plan is still being discussed, he assured that it will not be put in place without consulting the local councils and gaining community support.