Port Blair, Jan 2: The Member of Parliament, Shri. Kuldeep Rai Sharma has brought attention to the difficulties faced by residents of Andaman & Nicobar Islands when obtaining permissions to cross the convoy area between Middle Strait and Jirkatang, especially during late evening and night hours in case of a death in their family.

In a letter addressed to the Hon’ble Lt. Governor of A & N Islands, he highlighted the challenges families encounter when urgently needing to travel from North and Middle Andaman to South Andaman, or vice versa, during the convoy restrictions between Jirkatang and Middle Strait, particularly at late evening and night hours in case of any death in their family.

He added that families facing such circumstances often experience delays in obtaining the necessary permissions, resulting in the postponement of their travel plans to the next day. The struggle to secure timely permissions adds further distress during an already challenging time.

To address this pressing issue, Sharma proposed the establishment of a simplified Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to expedite the permission process for crossing the convoy area between Middle Strait and Jirkatang during late evening and night hours.

The proposal includes the appointment of an officer at Jirkatang Check Post (JPP) and Middle Strait Check Post (JPP) for verifying the authenticity and completing necessary formalities at the JPP Check post itself. If required, an undertaking can also be taken from the family in distress, after which they may be allowed to cross the convoy area between Middle Strait and Jirkatang during late evening and night hours.

The Member of Parliament added that he believes that implementing these measures will significantly ease the difficulties faced by families during challenging times and will also underscore the administration's responsive and empathetic approach to the needs of residents.