Panaji: After failing to take off the first ever Solar powered ferry boat, Goa government has told the House that they have no future plans of having such solar ferry boats to ply in Goan waters.
State River Navigation Department minister Subhash Phal Desai, responding to a question by BJP MLA Sankalp Amonkar, has said that Solar boat ‘St Pedro PNJ 880’ was commissioned on April 04, 2022.
“The same boat was operated at Chodan-Panaji route for three months on free of cost basis,” he said.
Phal Desai said that the ferry boat which was purchased at the cost of Rs 3.97 crore could not generate any income as “passengers were carried free of cost.”
He said that necessary infrastructure and manpower required for that ferry boat with carrying capacity of 60 passengers was created by the department.
To a question by Amonkar whether, whether there are any plans to construct more such solar ferry boats to ply in Goan waters, Phal Desai has responded in negative, without giving any reason for the same.
The question was tabled during the monsoon session of the House which began on Monday.
