Staff Correspondent
Port Blair, Mar 16: Hundreds of people travelling to Bambooflat today had a horrible time this evening when due to reported VIP movement the ferry of one Vehicle Ferry was delayed and nearly 200 people kept stranded inside the barricade at the Jetty area.
According to reports at around 3.00 PM today dozens of policemen and DSS staffs reached to clear the area for VIP movement. Rope barricades were laid and the scheduled ferry was delayed for the arrival of the VIP.
The ferry was half filled with passengers and kept ready for the VIP’s arrival, while hundreds of other passengers and dozens of vehicles were not allowed to board the vehicle. Finally the VIP reached Chatham Jetty at around 3.45 pm and with the departure of VIP all Police Jawans and DSS staffs vanished from the spot, leaving stranded passengers on the mercy of next ferry.
When asked one of the DSS staffs told public that they got information about the VIP movement at around 1.00 PM but nobody could explain why a especial ferry was not arranged for the VIP and why public were made to suffer.
One angry passenger when called up the DSS to know the reason for such treatment to general public the DSS reportedly told him that he has no information about any VIP movement. The DSS also reportedly assured to enquire about it.
VIP culture has become the most prominent cultures of these Islands and in many cases public finds themselves stranded for hours and hours. One would remember that soon after taking over the present Lt. Governor had directed the traffic department to make sure that for his movement normal traffic movement is not obstructed but on the ground, departments move in their own pace and for them Islanders have last priority.
