Port Blair, Oct. 1: The Member of Parliament, Shri. Kuldeep Rai Sharma has requested the Hon’ble Lt. Governor, A&N Islands to expedite the launch of fixed wing Aircraft Service between Diglipur and Port Blair.

In a letter addressed to the Lt. Governor, the Member of Parliament mentioned that although the groundwork for operating a fixed-wing aircraft service between Diglipur and Port Blair is nearing completion, this essential project has encountered delays primarily attributed to some paper works and a few minor hurdles.

He mentioned that the Secretary of Civil Aviation mentioned in a recent radio interview that the passenger hall at Diglipur airport is ready and has already been handed over to the Airport Authority of India. As per the interview, the agreement between the administration and Big Charter has also been successfully concluded. “The only remaining hurdle appears to be the signing of an agreement between the Airport Authority of India and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands Administration, along with a few other minor issues,” said the MP.

The Member of Parliament further highlighted the current hardships faced by the people of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, particularly those residing in the North & Middle Andaman because of the present condition of NH4.

He said that due to the lack of sufficient ferry services, reaching Diglipur has become an arduous and challenging task for thousands of individuals. Daily, countless people endure severe hardships while travelling between N&M Andaman and Port Blair. This dire situation affects the lives of residents in the North & Middle regions and adds undue strain to their daily routines.

The MP also mentioned that he believes that that now is the opportune moment to expedite the process of initiating daily fixed-wing aircraft services between Port Blair and Diglipur. “Such an initiative would not only provide much-needed relief to the residents but would also have a positive and transformative impact on the local economy in various aspects,” he added.

He requested personal intervention of the Lt. Governor in this matter and said that he is confident that Lt. Governor’s intervention will prioritize and expedite the paperwork and resolve the remaining minor issues promptly.