Port Blair, July 02: The Former State President, Bharatiya Janata Party, Andaman & Nicobar Islands & Member Home Ministry Advisory Committee, GoI Shri Vishal Jolly demands immediate restoration vehicle and passenger ferry.
Through his letter written to Chief Secretary, A & N Administration, he appraised him the daily harassment meted out to islanders from Bambooflat Wimberly Gunj-Ferrar Gunj region due to curtailed ferry service in Bambooflat-Chatham route. With restrictions eased, office and other business/commercial activity have opened; consequently peoples, including government employees, emergency service, frontline and hospital care workers from Bambooflat region now need to take daily ferry to reach their workplace or return home. However to the surprise of everyone, ferry service, still has not been augmented causing immense pain and suffering to a large section of the population hailing from rural south Andaman region.
Due to suspension of vehicle ferry and curtailment of passenger ferry between Bambooflat-Chatham, situation has become such that every day hundreds of commuters including women folks are forced to stand in long serpentine queues for hours together. Those unable to bear the embarrassing and painful queue in open sun, are forced to travel long distance over land wasting huge amount of time and money on fuel. This in-humane and step motherly treatment meted out towards a section of islanders hailing from Bambooflat-Wimberly Gunj-Ferrar Gunj region need to stop forthwith.
In his letter furhter requested that Directorate of Shipping Services be ordered to immediately resume vehicle and passenger ferry service with half an hour gap in the Bambooflat-Chatham route. Similarly other routes between Panighat – Phoenix Bay and Chatham – Dundas Point need to made operational without any further delay.
