The country’s only Ro-Ro car rail service was flagged off on Saturday, ahead of Ganeshotsav, as was first reported by mid-day. The first train between Kolad, Maharashtra, and Verna, Goa, ferried 19 passengers from five families with their cars on Saturday evening.

Navi Mumbai resident Rohan Prakash Kandar, 30, who was travelling with his family, told this paper: “It has been an exciting journey. We are chilling in the AC compartment and travelling with our own vehicle onboard the train. Konkan Railway has taken extra efforts to look after us. At Kolad, the train was shunted closer to the ramp and things were made very convenient for us.”