Port Blair, May 10: The Member of Parliament of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Mr. Kuldeep Rai Sharma has requested the Lt. Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands to construct one more Andaman Guest House at Chennai and Kolkata.
In a letter addressed to the Lt. Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the Member of Parliament said that as the summer vacation has begun there is a huge demand for rooms in Andaman Guest House at Chennai and Kolkata.
He mentioned that Andaman and Nicobar Islands have two ‘Andaman House’ buildings located at Anna Nagar and KK Nagar areas of Chennai, Tamil Nadu. These buildings were constructed or taken on lease for the convenience of the people of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, who visit Chennai for various reasons such as education, treatment, jobs, sports events, transit, and tours.
He added that for people who hail from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, Chennai is the main transit point, and they require rooms at Chennai for transit journeys while going to their homeland and also during their return journey. Patients and students require rooms at Chennai for longer durations but due to shortage of room, they face a lot of difficulties.
The Member of Parliament mentioned that nearly 25 years back, Andaman and Nicobar Administration had purchased 1.02 hectares of prime land at Pallikaranai locality of Velachery, Chennai, Tamil Nadu for the construction of the third Andaman House. The prime land is hardly 750 meters away from Velachery Railway Station. In the year 2007, a compound wall was erected around the said land, but after that, no construction works were carried out in the said land.
He said that if this third Andaman House is constructed, it will bring great relief for Islanders visiting Chennai, especially students and patients, who have to stay for a longer duration and for multiple times in Chennai and have to pay a huge amount to hotels and other accommodations.
Similarly, Kolkata being another major transit point for Islanders from north and eastern part of India, he requested the Lt. Governor to intervene in this issue and order concerned departments to construct one more Andaman Guest House at Kolkata for safety and convenience of Andaman bounds public, patients, students etc.
