Port Blair, April 3: The Member of Parliament, Shri. Kuldeep Rai Sharma has requested the Lt. Governor, A&N Islands to operate Chartered flights in Port Blair - Kolkata and Port Blair - Chennai routes twice a week from 15, April to July end 2022 so that the islanders can get plane tickets at an affordable rate.

In a letter addressed to the Hon’ble Lt. Governor, the MP mentioned that due to ongoing repair works of the runway of Veer Savarkar International Airport, at present flights are not landing at VSI Airport for three days in every alternative week.  Because of this restriction, the number of flights to the Islands have been reduced by Airlines companies. As a result the Airfare in Port Blair Mainland Sector has gone up.

The MP pointed out that at present for many ‘specific’ days in coming months, the Airfare has gone upto Rs. 20,000, which is unaffordable for Islanders, who have to visit mainland for various social, medical, education, job etc. Moreover as summer vacation is also going to start soon, thousands of Islanders are planning to visit mainland but they are shocked to see the astronomical high rates of flight tickets.

Kuldeep also pointed out that the students of A&N Islands and their parents, who are planning to pursue their Undergraduate, Post Graduate, technical courses and undergo various coaching classes in mainland are also finding it very difficult to plan their visit to the mainland due soaring airfare.

Considering the problems being faced by people of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, the Member of Parliament requested the Hon’ble Lt. Governor to operate Chartered flights in Port Blair - Kolkata and Port Blair - Chennai routes twice a week from 15, April to July end 2022 so that Islanders can get plane tickets at an affordable rate.