Port Blair, June 7: The Member of Parliament, A&N Islands Shri. Kuldeep Rai Sharma has requested for immediate induction of New Vehicle Ferries on lease or on contract in Chatham-Bambooflat Route and Middle Strait sector.

In a letter addressed to the Hon’ble Lt. Governor, the Member of Parliament mentioned that recently the services of the MV Pilobhabi was withdrawn from the Chatham-Bambooflat route, leaving only two vehicle ferries to operate in this area. Additionally, the MV Mus is currently under repair, resulting in an enormous pressure on two vehicle ferry vessels on this route. As a result, the public is facing huge inconvenience and hardship.

He pointed out that this is not an isolated incident but rather a recurring problem faced by the commuters of Chatham- Bambooflat route and the Middle Strait sector. The root cause of this issue lies in the fact that all the existing vehicle ferries are several decades old, making their repair and maintenance a considerable challenge for the Administration.

The Member of Parliament said that he is pleased to learn that the Administration is contemplating the construction of four new vehicle ferry vessels, along with other vessels, which will undoubtedly alleviate the burden on the public. However, he pointed out that the construction and induction of these new vessels will take a minimum of three to four years.

Therefore, he requested to induct at least two new vehicle ferry vessels on a lease or contract basis.

“By doing so, we can ensure that the commuters of Port Blair- Bambooflat, Port Blair- Panighat, Port Blair- Dandus Point and the Middle Strait region do not endure further suffering due to the frequent breakdown of these ageing vehicle ferries,” the MP said.