Suvarnadurg Shipping and Marine Services has announced additional trips on the Vasai-Bhayandar Ro-Ro service ahead of the Velankanni festival at Uttan, providing pilgrims with an alternative to the longer road journey between the two urban areas. The special services will operate from the Vasai and Bhayandar jetties during the morning and night sessions.
The Velankanni festival is being observed from August 29 to September 8 this year. The festival is associated with Our Lady of Good Health Church in Velankanni, near Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu. Large numbers of Christian devotees from Mumbai, Thane and Vasai-Virar travel to Tamil Nadu during the annual celebrations. The festival is also observed with significant participation in Christian-majority areas of Vasai and Bhayandar, including Uttan.
Devotees from the two cities visit the Velankanni Church in the Bhattebandar area of Uttan, which is located in the hills near the coast. There is no direct road between Vasai and Bhayandar, meaning that residents travelling between the two areas generally have to take a longer route via the national highway. Traffic congestion along the road route has led some passengers to choose water transport instead.
According to the report, devotees had been requesting additional Ro-Ro services during the festival period. In response, Suvarnadurg Shipping and Marine Services has increased the regular schedule by two trips each in the morning and evening sessions from both sides. The additional services are intended to support passengers travelling to Uttan for the festival and to reduce dependence on the longer road journey.
The announced timings include a morning departure from Vasai Fort to Bhayandar at 6:30 am, followed by a return departure from Bhayandar to Vasai at 7 am. The night services are scheduled to leave Vasai Fort for Bhayandar at 9:45 pm and Bhayandar for Vasai at 10:30 pm.
Passengers seeking further information about the additional trips or ticket reservations have been asked to contact the service centres. The Vasai centre can be reached at 8624063900, while the Bhayandar centre can be contacted at 8600314710.
The additional services are scheduled during the ongoing festival period, which concludes on September 8. Passengers are advised to confirm availability, timings and ticketing details with the respective centres before travelling.
