Great Nicobar plan row: Online ticket booking to Andaman and Nicobar islands resumes
The online booking of vessels to Campbell bay in Great Nicobar islands resumed from May 25, said the Andaman and Nicobar Administration.Earlier HT had reported that entry of non-islanders and activists was restricted in the region amid growing criticism to govt's developmental project
Online bookings for passenger vessels to Campbell Bay in Great Nicobar have been restarted. Earlier the bookings could only be made in person at counters, with restrictions to activists and outsiders to the island, said Andaman and Nicobar administration in its order.
The restriction was announced by the authority after a major controversy erupted due to a development project in the Nicobar Island. It is worth noting that Campbell Bay's surrounding areas are home to a large number of tribal communities that were resettled following the 2004 tsunami. The natural calamity destroyed their homes. Many of these residents are opposing the ₹72,000 crore project in the Great Nicobar Islands.
There was a restriction on the entry of activists and non-islanders in the Great Nicobar Island, reported HT on May 21. Later the entry was restarted. The news of the resumption of online ticket booking services was given by the directorate of Shipping Services, Andaman and Nicobar Administration in its latest tweet on Wednesday. The tweet said that the online tickets to Campbell Bay bound passenger vessels can be availed through the STARS e-ticketing portal from Thursday 9 am onwards.
The restriction on activists was made to curb criticism against the ₹72,000 crore project of the government think tank Niti Aayog called the Holistic Development of Great Nicobar Island, reported HT based on activists' and residents' inputs. The local administration is concerned about outsiders influencing the views of indigenous people living there about the project.
The local administration, on April 17, issued a press note stating that tickets to Campbell Bay will only be issued through offline mode only due to administrative reasons.
People with islander passes or residents will be allowed entry inside the Campbell Bay islands via air or ships, a member of the elected panchayat of Great Nicobar told HT last week.
The leader also added that Campbell Bay is not a tribal area and entry of non-islanders was permitted a few days ago. The restriction has been imposed in the past couple of months.
The local administration told HT that entry to Great Nicobar Island is allowed, but it is restricted in tribal areas without a pass as per regulations.
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First Published:25 May 2023, 10:06 AM IST
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