The service was started in January 2017 for the four operators that run ferry services from the Gateway of India to Mandwa.
A year after the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) launched e-ticketing services for the Mumbai to Mandwa ferry route, the online ticketing project has been temporarily put on hold due to technical issues.
The service was started in January 2017 for the four operators that run ferry services from the Gateway of India to Mandwa. "The service continued till the end of the season in May during which around 10,000 tickets were booked online," said an official from MMB.
Vikram Kumar, Chief Executive Officer, MMB said, "The operators informed us of some problems with the software. We are working on resolving the problem and it will resume in due course." However, Kumar was unclear about when the service will begin again. One of the issues experienced by operators was not getting the money in real-time but after a couple of days informed Kumar.
According to sources from MMB, another drawback is the 3 per cent online payment charges that customers are required to pay per transaction. "We are negotiating with MahaOnline as the Board felt these charges are high," said an official. Kumar admitted that one of the complaints pertained to these charges. "Another problem was the settling of refunds if ferry services were cancelled due to weather conditions or Indian Navy movements. We had to take a report from the port inspector and operator on whether the ferry was cancelled and if the passenger had been accommodated in another vessel," added an official.
According to MMB officials, the e-ticketing system not only makes booking convenient for citizens but also creates a database of passengers and prevents operators from overloading their vessels. The MMB is eager to extend e-ticketing services to all the routes that operate ferry services. Officials also claim the e-ticketing service ensures accountability and prevents the MMB from being cheated of its passenger tax which is 10 per cent of the ticket.
Future plans
- The Mumbai Maritime Board is eager to extend e-ticketing services to all the routes that operate ferry services.
- The Board has 88 ferry operators that operate 253 vessels on 70 routes.
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