DJ Venktash
Port Blair, Oct 01: The Chartered vessel, MV Coral Queen which started its sailing to Mayabunder & Diglipur is a great relief for the people of North and Middle Andaman. Sources said that presently in almost all sailing the vessel was nearly full packed. But unwanted and prolonged halting the ferry at Mayabunder has become a constant source of disappointment for Diglipur passengers.
As per details, the vessel sails from Diglipur to Port Blair via Mayabunder. For this sailing the ferry leaves Diglipur at 2 PM and reaches Mayabunder at 0430 pm after that there is a prolonged halting at Mayabunder and later it leaves for Port Blair at 9 PM.
Hence it is clear that for nearly 04.30 hours the vessel remains idle at Mayabunder jetty. During this long halting neither Port Blair bound passengers are allowed to disembark from the ship nor are passengers of Mayabunder allowed to board the vessel before embarkation time of 0830 PM.
Such long halting disappoints passengers of Diglipur because, these passengers have to start from home at about 12 noon for the ferry at Diglipur, who reaches Port Blair after almost 17 hours journey time while in direct sailing the ship can reach within 8-9 hours.
While going towards Mayabunder, the vessel from Port Blair leaves at 9 PM and reaches Mayabunder at 5 AM and after embarking Mayabunder passengers it leaves for Diglipur immediately and reaches Diglipur around 9 AM. This is interesting to note that the vessel from Port Blair to Diglipur takes 12 hours via Mayabunder while Diglipur to Port Blair it takes 17 long hours, which makes no sense.
Because of this delay there is a marginal decrease in number passengers from Diglipur and people fear that if the number dips further the Administration will stop the ferry saying there is no demand. Few passengers who don’t want to wait in ship goes to Mayabunder by bus at 5 PM or by own vehicles and t hen board the ship at Mayabunder, which is again painful for public.
The administration also stopped vessel to Diglipur via Havelock which was running packed for reasons unknown.
When enquired, the ship authorities stated that there is no proper arrangement for berthing at Mayabunder and Diglipur after 5 PM hence this long halt.
Andaman Sheekha found that the high mast tower lights installed at both jetties are not functioning since years. The jetty expansion work at Diglipur jetty is on hold since years and there is no public notice from the side of Administration yet.
Experts suggest that as already Hut Bay is having various other ships daily the Coral Queen can be scheduled to Port Blair to Diglipur directly at 9 PM. This ferry can reach Diglipur in the early morning and leave Diglipur at 5.30 PM and reached Port Blair next day early morning. The same schedule can be followed for Mayabunder via separate and direct ferry from Port Blair for smooth journey of the passengers.
