Port Blair, Jun 12: Mr. Kuldeep Rai Sharma, the Member of Parliament met the Chief Secretary and appraised him about the prevailing Jetty at Phongi Balu costing worth crores of Rupees built out of the tax payers’ money. He proposed to start the Speed Boat services of Government from Phongi Balu to Hut Bay and Vice-versa which will save two hours of voyage duration one way besides saving around 1000 liters of fuel per trip. This saving done in fuel consumption will result in saving of Rs. 2.23 crores per annum. While explaining the savings of Rs. 2.23 crores, the Member of Parliament said that the speed boats of DSS presently plying in this route roughly consumes 250 ltrs of HSD per hour, hence reduction in journey time of 4 hours per to and fro trip from Port Blair to Hut Bay will save 1000 litrs of HSD, which means a saving of 30,000 liters of HSD in a month and 3,60.000 litres of HSD per year. Considering cost of HSD @ Rs 62 per liter there will a saving of Rupees 2.23 crores, justified the MP.
Mr. Sharma opined that the reduction in journey time will encourage many more local and mainland tourists to visit Hut Bay which will boost tourism industry at Hut Bay and will also generate employment opportunity in Little Andaman.
Mr. Sharma has further stated that if this proposal is accepted then arrangement of STS bus is needed to be done for to and fro journeys of the passenger from Port Blair to Pongi Balu jetty. He also said due to frequent bus services and movement of tourist in this route, the villages lying en-route Pongi Balu will get developed in due course of time.
The Chief Secretary reportedly gave a patient hearing and assured to look into the matter, a release from Media cell of MP Office, Gandhi Bhavan said.
