Tarun Karthick
Campbell Bay, 2 June 2022
The residents of Katchal have been complaining about infrequent shipping services to and from Port Blair for a long time. Last month only two passenger ship sailings were scheduled for Katchal, which the residents inform is not sufficient.
According to the 2011 census, Katchal Island had a population of 2685 comprising of both tribals and non-tribals. A considerable number of people travel between Port Blair and Katchal as well as from Katchal to other Islands and back, every month.
Due to the unavailability of ships directly from Katchal, many residents travel to Port Blair and other Islands from Nancowry. Residents informed Nicobar Times that the journey for travelling to Port Blair and other Islands through Nancowry is not easy. They further added the same is also true for travel between Port Blair to Katchal through Nancowry.
The residents reportedly have to wait for a long period of time, sometimes even days at the passenger hall at Nancowry to travel back to Katchal after disembarking from the ship at Nancowry.
Katchal has a large jetty and the residents have been demanding that ships like M.V Kalighat which usually calls on Nancowry, should also call on Katchal during every sailing to the Southern Group of Islands.
Residents also inform that due to the non-availability of sufficient ships the traders at times are forced to ship their cargo first to Nancowry and then the cargo is again shipped from Nancowry to Katchal, which increases the cost of commodities especially perishables at Katchal.
Residents also informed that the cost of shipping one tonne of cargo from Port Blair to Nancowry is the same as the cost of shipping one tonne of cargo from Nancowry to Katchal. They complained that the traders of Katchal Island have to spend double the amount for transportation of cargo when it is shipped through Nancowry.
According to sources more than 40 passengers from Katchal travel to Port Blair on each ship which is scheduled via Nancowry (which does not berth at Katchal). These passengers from Katchal face a lot of problems just because adequate shipping services are not provided for their travel.