Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 11 August 2025
Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray, Hon’ble Member of Parliament from the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, has taken up with the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways the urgent need to reconstruct the Panighat Jetty and extend or dredge the Panighat slipway, citing prolonged hardships faced by local residents and the fishing community under Hope Town Panchayat.
The Panighat Jetty, a colonial-era structure, collapsed in 2023 after decades without major repairs. Until then, it supported about 10 passenger-cum-vehicle ferry trips daily between Port Blair and Panighat, easing pressure on the Bambooflat Jetty and providing a shorter, more affordable route for residents of Hopetown, Chunnabatta, North Bay, and nearby villages.
Since its collapse, commuters have been forced to travel a considerable distance via Bambooflat, adding both time and expense. The MP has urged the Ministry to immediately sanction its reconstruction and, as a temporary measure, direct the UT Administration to deploy pontoon facilities for safe passenger movement until a permanent jetty is in place.
The existing slipway at Panighat, vital for local fishermen to bring boats ashore for maintenance, becomes unusable during low tide. This forces fishermen to rely on costly and physically demanding alternatives. Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray has called for an urgent technical survey and remedial action — either by extending the slipway or dredging the area — to ensure year-round access.
The MP stressed that swift intervention would restore essential infrastructure, enhance connectivity, and protect the livelihoods of hundreds of families dependent on fishing in the region.
