Port Blair, Nov 10: Participating in a debate on the floor of the Lok Sabha on 07.12.2012 in the “Zero Hour”, Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray, the Member of Parliament of A & Nicobar Islands batted for Andaman Trunk Road and said that the Andaman Trunk Road should not be closed down for traffic and no alternate sea route be made for North and Middle Andaman.
Highlighting the reason thereon, Mr. Ray gave the brief background of the ATR said that the Construction of the ATR was started the year 1958. While the work was carried upto 43 Km due to declaration of Jarawa Reserve Area the same was discontinued during 1975. When the Congress Govt. came to power again the work of the ATR started in the year 1998, with the inauguration of the ATR the then existing Sea Route from Port Blair to Baratang was automatically closed down.
Mr. Ray stated that during Vajpayee Govt period, in the year 2004, the ATR was declared as National Highway.
“In the meantime, during the UPA Govt, period a plan was brought in the name of the Jarawa to destroy the Andamans and a proposal was made to close down upto 43 Km from Port Blair to Baratang with the starting of an Alternate Sea Route from Port Blair to Baratang,” he said.
Further, Mr. Ray said that if ATR is closed the Tourism sector will be very badly affected. About 02-2.5 lakhs Tourists travel from Port Blair to Baratang, every year, through the ATR and there are more than 2,700 vehicles ply on the route with the Tourists. The North & Middle Andaman District has made huge investments in tourism sector, where the population is about 02-2.5 lakh.
“A majority of population of the unemployed youths are presently engaged with the Tourism Travel will become unemployed again,” Mr. Ray added.
