Nishar Mohammed & Vikramaditya
Port Blair, Mar 01: The Shoal Bay-19 beach, which was once considered to be very remote and inaccessible now gets large number of visitors on holidays. Sadly the beach still lacks basic amenities for visitors, which is hindering its growth into a famous tourists destination.
Talking to Andaman Sheekha Daily the Pradhan of Shoal Bay, Mr. A.R. Kumar revealed that the beach currently lacks many basic amenities. He highlighted the absence of crucial facilities such as toilets, changing rooms, seating benches, and drinking water provisions.
He said that in this regard he had penned a letter to the Secretary of IP&T Port Blair, South Andaman, on December 30, 2022. The letter emphasized the pressing need for all-weather road connectivity to Shoal Bay-19 Beach, especially considering the significant rise in tourist numbers to the area but till now no visible steps has been taken to improve the situation.
With the influx of tourists, Shoal Bay’s Panchayat sees an opportunity to boost tourism activities in the region. This development could pave the way for job opportunities, particularly for the youths, within the tourism sector. To capitalize on this potential, the Panchayat is strategizing the enhancement of infrastructure to cater to tourists’ needs effectively.
Outlined in their plans are the following initiatives:
1. Construction of eco-friendly changing rooms at Shoal Bay-19 Beach.
2. Installation of an eco-friendly sanitary complex at Shoal Bay-19 Beach.
3. Construction of a ramp to facilitate tourists boarding boats at Shoal Bay-19.
The Pradhan said that these proposed developments aim to transform Shoal Bay-19 Beach into a more tourist-friendly destination while simultaneously creating employment opportunities for the local community.
