I believe once town stage is achieved. There should be a technology available from trade building that enables all trade buildings, units and boats as drop sites mobile or fixed. So that boats and workers can comfortably work along the trade routes between allies as the trader passes between two markets or docks. It's not a request just an idea. I have no problem if it's never implemented.
This might negate the advantage that work elephant gives to the Mauryans. You can make the work elephant special again if it you can give it an ability to gather wood itself (you already have the tree log lifting animation for it) besides being a mobile drop site.