Dispute Halts Dredging at Ghogha Jetty: Threatening Ghogha-Hazira Ro-Pax Ferry Operations
Maintenance dredging work near the Ghogha jetty and navigational channel — crucial for the smooth functioning of the Ghogha-Hazira Ro-Pax ferry service — has come to a sudden halt following a dispute between the Deendayal Port Authority (DPA) and the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) over the dumping of dredged material into the sea.
The Ghogha-Hazira Ro-Pax ferry service is a vital link across the Gulf of Khambhat, connecting Bhavnagar district to Surat, significantly reducing travel time and distance for commuters and cargo. However, the Gulf’s natural sedimentation issues require regular dredging to maintain navigable depths at the jetty, turning circle, and access channel.
Currently, maintenance dredging was underway near the Ghogha Jetty and in the navigational channel to ensure that the required draft is maintained, allowing ferry vessels to operate around the clock. The Dredging Corporation of India (DCI) was carrying out the dredging operations under the supervision of DPA.
However, the operations came to a standstill after GMB officials abruptly ordered the dredgers to stop dumping the removed sediment at the designated offshore site, despite it being the previously agreed dumping ground located three nautical miles from the coast. According to DPA, the sudden instruction has caused all dredging activity to cease, raising concerns about future ferry disruptions.
DPA Chief Engineer Ravindra Reddy expressed concern over the abrupt halt, stating, “For the ferry service to continue without delays, it is essential that the navigational channel maintains the required draft. The dredging operations were being carried out as per the agreed terms, and the dredged material was being dumped at the site agreed upon previously. However, GMB unexpectedly stopped the work without any alternative solution.”
When approached, Bhavnagar Port Officer Captain Rakesh Mishra offered a brief and dismissive response, saying, “I am in a meeting. These allegations are baseless; there is nothing like that.”
Meanwhile, the standoff has reignited an old controversy involving GMB’s past dredging practices. Prior to the launch of the Ghogha-Dahej and later Ghogha-Hazira ferry routes, GMB had undertaken initial dredging at Ghogha to achieve a depth of minus five meters at the turning circle. According to sources, the contractor assigned to the job was contractually obligated to dump the silt three miles offshore. However, in violation of this agreement, the dredged material was reportedly dumped just along the channel itself.
As a result, a four-meter-high silt pile remains visibly exposed during low tide and lies perilously close to the ferry channel. This artificial sediment mound poses potential navigational hazards and exacerbates sedimentation challenges. Despite this breach of contract, no disciplinary action was taken against the responsible authorities at the time.
The current dredging work by DPA and DCI adheres to the original guideline of dumping sediment three nautical miles out at sea, yet GMB’s unexpected intervention has once again stalled progress.
With no clear resolution in sight and both agencies standing their ground, there are growing fears that continued delay in resuming dredging may disrupt ferry operations, especially during peak tide shifts when navigability becomes precarious without adequate depth.
Local stakeholders and passengers depending on the ferry service are urging both state and central maritime authorities to intervene. The Ghogha-Hazira ferry has been a key infrastructural success in regional connectivity, but without timely dredging, its schedule and safety could soon be compromised.
As the monsoon season approaches — when sedimentation tends to increase — the need for immediate resolution becomes even more urgent. The dispute has exposed not only inter-agency friction but also the pressing need for streamlined maritime management and accountability in Gujarat’s coastal operations.
