Sri Vijaya Puram, July 17: Admiral D K Joshi, PVSM, AVSM, YSM, NM, VSM, (Retd.), Hon’ble Lt. Governor, A&N Islands and Vice-Chairman, Islands Development Agency today flagged off the first batch of three new buses received by the Transport Department against the total order of 17 buses. The flag-off ceremony was held at Lok Niwas and was attended by senior officers of the A&N Administration.
The three newly inducted buses will be deployed in the State Transport Service (STS) Units at Rangat, Mayabunder and Diglipur to address the shortage of buses in these areas and further strengthen public transport services in N&M Andaman District.
As part of the phased procurement plan, six more new buses are expected to arrive within the next week, while the remaining eight buses are scheduled to be delivered by the end of this month. These buses will be deployed in various STS Units based on operational requirements and passenger demand.
The public transport service provided by the Transport Department forms the backbone of the transportation network across the Union Territory, particularly for residents of the outlying islands and rural areas who depend heavily on bus services for their daily commute and access to essential services.
Reaffirming its commitment to improving rural public transportation, the Transport Department has undertaken phased measures to augment and modernize the STS fleet by procuring new buses and gradually replacing ageing vehicles. Special emphasis is being given to strengthening transport connectivity in the North & Middle Andaman and Nicobar districts, ensuring safer, more reliable and efficient public transport services for commuters.