Rohit Kumar
Port Blair, 10 June 2021
M Vinod, President, Andaman Association of Tour Operators has written a letter to the Hon’ble Lt. Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the Chief Secretary of Andaman and Nicobar Administration requesting them to rollback the hiked fares for light and sound shows at Cellular Jail and Netaji Subash Chandra Bose Island.
M Vinod in his letter has informed the authorities that amid the COVID-19 pandemic the Directorate of IP&T has passed an order hiking the fares for light and sound show at Cellular Jail and Netaji Subash Chandra Bose Island.
He added that no other industry has been devastated as much as the tourism industry by the COVID-19 pandemic. He also mentioned that tourism industry is the backbone of the Islands and at this time when the industry must collectively intensify efforts to encourage people to visit the Islands by making services economical, the hike in prices of the fares for light and sound show at Cellular Jail and Netaji Subash Chandra Bose Island is denting the prospects of quick recovery of tourism.
M Vinod also wrote that Cellular Jail is the heritage pride of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and it is visited by tourists of all economic strata. The objective has always been to encourage everyone to get a glimpse of the history of freedom struggle. He added that the National Memorial and Netaji Subash Chandra Bose Island must not be commercialised owing to their cultural and historical significance.
He requested the authorities to reverse the hike in prices of the fares for light and sound show at Cellular Jain and Netaji Subash Chandra Bose Island.