R Karthik Raja & Vikramaditya
Sri Vijaya Puram, July 27: Local residents and elected PRI members have raised serious concerns over the discontinuation of the direct night halt boat service between Swaraj Dweep and Sri Vijaya Puram, citing that the current schedule is causing severe inconvenience to daily commuters, officials, patients, and the general public.
Zilla Parishad Member from Vijay Nagar Constituency, Mr. Apurba Chandra Roy, while speaking to Andaman Sheekha Daily, said, “Earlier, a government vessel used to depart from Sri Vijaya Puram (Port Blair) at 5:00 PM and sail directly to Swaraj Dweep, where it would night halt. The same vessel would then sail back the next morning at 6:00 AM directly to Sri Vijaya Puram, enabling people to finish their tasks in the Sri Vijaya Puram and return back to Swaraj Dweep the same day.”
“This schedule was extremely beneficial for people of Swaraj Dweep,” Mr. Roy added. “Many used to come to the Sri Vijaya Puram in the morning, complete their official or medical work, and return by the evening. Even serious patients were able to reach hospitals at Sri Vijaya Puram within two hours using this direct route.”
However, after recent changes in the schedule, the vessel now leaves at around 2:00 PM from Sri Vijaya Puram to Swaraj Dweep via Shaheed Dweep, and in the morning, it departs from Swaraj Dweep at 5:30 AM to Sri Vijaya Puram again via Shaheed Dweep. This has led to dissatisfaction among commuters.
“This revised route has disrupted the entire purpose of the service,” Mr. Roy said. “One cannot go from Swaraj Dweep to Sri Vijaya Puram, complete any official work, and return on the same day due to this awkward timing and route. It has become completely impractical.”
He further added, “Traveling via Shaheed Dweep in both directions is a hassle, consumes more time, and has particularly affected patients who earlier benefitted from the direct service.”
Several PRI members and local residents have reportedly been consistently demanding the resumption of the old schedule. They have urged the Andaman & Nicobar Administration to restore the direct 5:00 PM night halt vessel from Sri Vijaya Puram to Swaraj Dweep and the 6:00 AM return journey, without routing through Shaheed Dweep.
“This is a genuine public need, and we hope the administration will act quickly in the larger interest of islanders,” Mr. Roy concluded.
