Mohammed Saheed
Car Nicobar, 23 February 2023
The residents of Car Nicobar intending to travel to Port Blair will be availing the sailing of Nalanda from Kamorta to travel to Port Blair. The residents will reach Kamorta this afternoon by a speed boat from Car Nicobar to avail the sailing of Nalanda.
No ship has been scheduled in Port Blair – Car Nicobar – Port Blair sector since the 8th of February 2023.
Hundreds of passengers are stranded both in Port Blair and Car Nicobar, but DSS is unable to schedule a vessel due to the non-availability of suitable ships.
DSS recently acquired two modern ships, Nalanda and Sindhu, but both ships are unable to berth at the only operational jetty at Car Nicobar. MUS Jetty is reportedly unsuitable for berthing vessels like Sindhu, Nalanda and M.V Campbell Bay.
M.V Kalighat, M.V Bharat Seema and M.V Chowra used to provide services between Port Blair and Car Nicobar, but all the vessels suitable for safe berthing at Car Nicobar are currently unavailable.
Due to the non-availability of suitable vessels, residents now have to travel 130+ Kilometres in the opposite direction to Kamorta by a Speed Boat and then avail the sailing of Nalanda from Kamorta to Port Blair.
Residents are demanding that suitable arrangements should be made for passenger transportation directly from Port Blair – Car Nicobar and Car Nicobar – Port Blair.
Residents are also demanding that suitable arrangements should be made for berthing of modern vessels like Nalanda and Sindhu at Car Nicobar.
Port Management Board should either plan a new Jetty or Extend/Repair/Dredge the existing Jetties at Car Nicobar and make it suitable for berthing vessels like M.V Campbell Bay, Sindhu and Nalanda.