Sri Vijaya Puram | October 23, 2026
President of the Andaman & Nicobar Territorial Congress Committee (ANTCC), Mr. Rangalal Halder, has urged the Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to deploy two additional vehicle ferry vessels between Middle Strait and Baratang Jetty until the proposed bridge connecting the two locations is completed and becomes operational.
In a representation to the Lieutenant Governor, Halder stated that the existing two vehicle ferry vessels are insufficient to handle the increasing movement of passengers, private vehicles and commercial vehicles, resulting in long queues and prolonged waiting times at the jetties.
He highlighted that vehicles departing from Jirkatang in the 6:00 AM convoy are often still waiting at Middle Strait Jetty at 11:00 AM, causing inconvenience to passengers, patients, tourists, transport operators and members of the business community.
Halder has requested the Lieutenant Governor to direct the concerned department to increase the existing fleet from two to four vehicle ferry vessels and maintain the arrangement until the proposed Middle Strait–Baratang Bridge is completed and opened for traffic.
He stated that deploying additional vessels would help reduce waiting times, improve connectivity between South Andaman and North and Middle Andaman, and provide relief to islanders.
