DJ Venkatesh
Diglipur, May 24: The only mean of speedy travel in these Islands is the Helicopter service, which is run by the A&N Administration but sadly since last week this service has also been stopped for certain regions.
For Diglipur region there were sorties on Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday, which was a blessing for Patients and Old Age People.
Adding to the pain since two weeks two speed boat services to Diglipur has also been stopped. Earlier three days a week the boats used to run since two weeks only one is running on Saturday and that too with only 65 passengers.
Now suspension of Helicopter service has paralyzed the transport system of these Islands.
Sources said that due to unavailability of boats to Southern Group of Islands the administration took this step. Although sometimes for the VIPs, special sorties are carried out.
With this step, the patients are main sufferers who used to fly almost daily for treatment at Port Blair. Now due to lack of Helicopter and boat they forced to travel in old cramped buses.
Although for this Wednesday a speed boat ferry has been announced but how long this will remain is also a question.
Meanwhile, sources in Administration told Andaman Sheekha that the helicopter service for entire North and Middle as well as Neil Islands and Havelock has been temporarily suspended considering the shortage of vessels for Nicobar District. Sources said that as soon as shipping schedule for Nicobar District is normalized the Helicopter schedule for North and Middle will be resumed.
