Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 04 November 2024
The discontinuation of free air travel for patients from remote islands to Sri Vijaya Puram has caused significant hardship for the local population, particularly those in urgent need of medical care. This change has placed an immense burden on islanders and non-islanders alike, especially those from low-income backgrounds who struggle to afford the steep helicopter fares required for medical travel.
Residents of the Nicobar Group of Islands are facing a particularly dire situation, as the cost of helicopter travel is the highest due to the vast distances involved. For instance, the fare from Great Nicobar or Nancowry to Sri Vijaya Puram is prohibitively expensive, leaving many in these remote areas with limited options for timely medical intervention.
Previously, the administration covered the full cost of air travel for patients referred to Sri Vijaya Puram by a doctor, along with one attendant. This critical service allowed patients in need of emergency surgeries or specialised care to reach Sri Vijaya Puram without incurring any costs. However, over time, the administration gradually reduced this support, first limiting free travel to patients alone and requiring attendants to pay their own way. Eventually, free air travel was restricted to tribal patients only, and now, even that provision has been entirely withdrawn.
Currently, the helicopter fare from Campbell Bay to Sri Vijaya Puram stands at ₹5,350 for islanders and a staggering ₹13,400 for non-islanders. Similarly, the fare from Kamorta to Sri Vijaya Puram is ₹4,350 for islanders and ₹10,800 for non-islanders. These costs are far beyond the reach of many families, especially those from lower-income groups. As a result, patients often delay essential travel to Sri Vijaya Puram, despite doctors’ recommendations, simply because they cannot afford the fare.
The termination of this once-lifesaving service has sparked widespread outrage among the public and political leaders alike, who have repeatedly called for the reinstatement of free air travel for referred patients. Their pleas, however, have so far not yielded any result.
For the people of these remote islands, air travel is not a luxury—it is a necessity. Specialized medical care is unavailable in these regions, leaving patients with no choice but to travel to Sri Vijaya Puram for surgeries and advanced treatments. The administration’s decision to end this vital service has left many residents in a precarious position, unable to access the care they desperately need.
While the administration deserves credit for facilitating emergency evacuations when regular air travel is unavailable, its decision to withdraw free travel for patients from remote islands has drawn sharp criticism. The suffering endured by these families is difficult to quantify, but it is a stark reality that continues to worsen as the policy remains in place.