Port Blair, Sept. 16: The Union Shipping Minister, G K Vasan today inaugurated the new office complex of Andaman and Lakshadweep Harbour Works (ALHW) at Port Blair. Inaugurating the office complex, he said ALHW reconstructed almost all the jetties and port structures damaged in tsunami, including the vehicle ferry jetty at Havelock. He informed that the Shipping Ministry prepared maritime agenda 2020 to ensure the development of the shipping sector across the country.
He said the role of shipping sector assumes more significance in the islands, in view of its strategic location connected by only air and sea routes. He added that the ministry realized the importance of the shipping services as the life-line of the islanders and sanctioned many vital projects to improve the shipping services and develop the jetties and port structures all over the islands. He also announced that the shipping ministry already accorded approval for two passenger ships of 500 passengers capacity at the cost of 400 crore rupees each and they will be inducted in to the inter island services soon. He further revealed that more vehicle ferry jetties will be constructed by the ALHW in important islands to carry out immediate evacuation operations effectively at the times of disaster.
Speaking on the occasion, the Islands MP, Shri Bishnu Pada Ray stressed the need for constructing major jetties in all the important islands to solve the logistics problems. He appealed to the Shipping Minister to sanction projects for constructing vehicle ferry jetties in Neil Island and Long island, besides major jetties in Little Andaman and Diglipur to provide access to the mainland bound vessels for the convenience of the people in these remote islands. Expressing concern over the developments in the Myanmarese occupied Coco Island located very close to our northern border in Diglipur, he said the development of major jetty in Diglipur will go a long way in strengthening our security all along the coast line.
The Union Shipping secretary, Pradeep Kumar Sinha and Islands Chief Secretary, Anand Prakash also spoke on the occasion. Earlier, briefing on the activities of ALHW, the Chief Engineer, ALHW, K Sekar informed that apart from Port structures, ALHW constructed many important buildings in the islands including Dr Ambedkar Auditorium at Port Blair. He said the ALHW office building was fully damaged by the devastating tsunami and the present office complex has been constructed at the same site with modern facilities in technical consultation with IIT Chennai.
The Union Shipping Minister, G K Vasan also unveiled the statue of great Tamil saint poet, Thiruvalluvar at Haddo at the function organised by the Port Blair Municipal council in the presence of the Islands MP, PBMC Chairperson, Vice Chairpersons, Municipal Councillors and a large gathering of public.
On Monday morning, GK Vasan is scheduled to meet the Lt Governor, Chief Secretary, Chief Engineer of ALHW and senior officers of the administration and review the performance of the shipping sector and ALHW as per the maritime agenda 2020 and performance parameters. In the afternoon, he will visit Havelock Island and inaugurate the vehicle ferry jetty constructed by ALHW there.
The Minister is scheduled to return back on 18th afternoon.