Sailing of MV Nancowry cancelled at Chennai without prior intimation to passengers

Sarthak Kanjilal
Port Blair, January 11: The vessel MV Nancowry, which was about to sail for Port Blair today at around 04:00 pm from Chennai was cancelled due to some problem in the generator of the ship, it is learnt.
But this last moment cancellation left a large number of passengers in soup. As per sources, many passengers have also protested at the entrance gate of the Chennai Port.
As per sources, three days back one of the generators of the ship busted and the repair works for the same was on but even though sources informed that the ship was made ready to sail for Port Blair.
Talking to Andaman Sheekha over phone, one of the passengers said that he had already left the lodge and he is not having enough money to stay in Chennai for few more days. He said that now it has become very difficult for him to stay in Chennai till a new schedule is announced.
Another passenger said that he has come all the way from Madurai to avail this sailing. “If the authorities would have informed me earlier I would have stayed back at Madurai, now don’t know where will I go,” said the passenger over phone.
Andaman Sheekha also learnt that a few passengers who were provided the lodging and boarding facilities by the administration due to the cancellation of the Chartered Flight recently, had also bought the ship ticket of MV Nancowry but cancellation of this sailing caused another problem to them.
As per sources, the passengers have been told that the ship will be fit for sailing only after three days.
The Shipping Department must make sure that in case of doubt proper announcement/ publicity should be done so that passengers can make alternative arrangements. The Department should also sent officers at the port to manage the situations like this and arrange boarding facilities for stranded passengers, in case of last moment cancellation of ship. The Shipping services must develop some kind of SMS alert system for all ship passengers so that any kind of issues regarding fitness of the ship can be intimated to passengers on time.