National
PM opens Ro-Ro ferry, calls it landmark in South-East Asia (Lead)
Bhavnagar (Gujarat), Oct 22 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated the first phase of a 31-km Ghogha-Dahej ‘roll-on, roll-off’ (Ro-Ro) ferry service, a first-of-its-kind in India, saying it was “a landmark project for entire South-East Asia”.
The Rs 650-crore service links Ghogha in Bhavnagar district in western Gujarat’s Saurashtra region and Dahej in Bharuch district in south Gujarat across the Gulf of Khambhat in the Arabian Sea.
Calling it his dream project, Modi said the ferry service was his “invaluable gift to India” and claimed that the even for South-East Asia this was the first project of its size.
The Prime Minister later travelled on the ferry to Dahej in company with many handicapped children whom he called his “special guests”.
He said it was his effort that gave birth to the ferry service which he had heard about only in his school days.
“It seems implementation of all good works are my luck,” Modi joked.
“New changes don’t come from cliched attitude, but new thinking. We changed the way of thinking,” he said, adding that this service would shorten a 360-km distance to 31 km or a road journey of seven hours to one hour.
“This may be a project between Ghogha and Dahej but it is a landmark project not only for India but also for entire South East Asia. The ferry service is a first of sorts. It is a dream come true for people of Gujarat.”
Modi blasted previous Congress governments stating they had created such procedural factors that made it impossible for projects like Ro-Ro service to see the light of the day.
Modi said the earlier central governments wanted the Ro-Ro service provider to build terminals. “Tell me, do aircraft operators build airports or bus operators build roads? It is the government’s job. So, we took up the job.”
The Prime Minister claimed that earlier central governments tried to stall several development projects of Gujarat but after he took charge many issues challenging the growth of the state had been sorted out.
“When I was the Chief Minister of Gujarat, we faced hostility from the then central government. Several efforts were made to stall industries and the state’s progress. Over the last three years we have changed that.”
The ferry service had been getting delayed for various technical and financial issues since 1995 and was first thought of in early 1960s. The foundation stone for current works was laid by Narendra Modi as the Chief Minister in 2012.
The ferry can take up to 500 passengers. In subsequent phases, the ferries would also be able to transport cars and trucks across the Gulf.
The project would be a boon for over 25 lakh people from Saurashtra settled in diamond and textiles hub of Surat in south Gujarat.
The Prime Minister said plans were afoot to expand the ferry service to Hazira and the union territory Diu-Daman at a later stage and various places in Saurashtra. Modi said the services would also not be restricted to only one route.
“We are planning to link other places also through ferries. I am told that a pre-feasibility report for a similar project across Gulf of Kutch is ready.”
Calling coastal areas as gateways to progress, he said that over the last three years, his government had been trying to develop coastal infrastructure.
“We seek to create over a crore employment opportunities.”
After travelling to Dahej on the ferry, Modi flew to Vadodara to address a public rally and inaugurate more projects.
–IANS
desai/mr
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.
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