Goans in the past would use the waterways in the State for transportation. This may be because proper roads may not have been available. However, as road connectivity improved, rivers seem to have lost their relevance. Unfortunately, in a state like ours, rivers could be a key arterial transportation link. It seems the advantages of transporting goods on water have been forgotten. Or in some cases, the amount of travel time that would be cut down if the rivers were navigable. The government's announcement that it plans to start a ferry between Panaji and Vasco is welcome news. It is well-known that the travel time between the two cities often can take more than an hour due to traffic problems. Also, with an increasing number of vehicles on the roads, it seems the recent road expansion will fall short in the near future. Hopefully, the government will follow through its announcement at the earliest. Such projects need to be prioritised to reduce the burden of daily commuters. It is hoped that the government has done a feasibility of such a project to avoid unnecessary expenditure.
