Port Blair Oct 8: For thousands of residents of North and Middle Andaman, every journey on the battered NH-4 feels like a test of endurance. From patients rushing to hospitals in Port Blair to students and traders making their daily commute, the cracked and crumbling highway has turned travel into an ordeal. With no alternative route on land, islanders are now turning their hopes seaward.
Highlighting the plight of travellers, G Bhasker, Chairman of the ANTCC Campaign Committee and National Vice-President of the INTUC Federation, met the Director of Shipping Services (DSS) to press for urgent solutions to the region’s connectivity crisis.
Bhasker urged the DSS to introduce weekly sailings of at least two ships to Mayabunder, offering a safer and more reliable option for commuters who currently brave the NH-4’s potholes and landslide-prone stretches. “For patients who need emergency treatment, and for families who travel regularly for education or work, the highway has become unbearable. A dependable ship service could be a lifeline,” Bhasker emphasised during the meeting.
He further raised the need for regular ship services to Car Nicobar and called for the procurement of new high-capacity vessels, pointing to the ageing fleet currently operating on the long South sector routes.
Another pressing concern discussed was the struggle faced by many inter-island passengers in booking tickets online. Poor internet connectivity in remote areas and the fact that a large section of travellers are not digitally literate often leaves them stranded or forces them to depend on middlemen.
The DSS Director assured Bhasker that the department would take prompt steps to address these issues, including exploring the proposal for weekly sailings to Mayabunder, improving services to Car Nicobar, and finding solutions to make ticketing more accessible for all.
Islanders have welcomed the intervention, hoping that these discussions will soon translate into concrete action, easing the travel woes of those who currently have no choice but to endure the long, rough ride on NH-4.
