Port Blair, Jan. 6: While the islanders cry foul at the A&N Administration’s irresponsible attitude to provide adequate ships in all sectors in the islands, it has come to light that MV Kalighat is still struggling with damages at Vizag. The ship had sailed to Vishakapatnam for maintenance in the month of August 2011 and yet is not fit to sail.

According to sources, Kalighat sailed from Port Blair on Aug. 14, 2011 and reached Vizag on Aug. 19, 2011. Soon after it reached it was realised that the windlass of the ship had problems. The ship then remained at anchorage for almost 6 days till the windlass was repaired. Finally after she was moved inside the Port, the only repair work taken up in the next two months was changing of 4 No. Scupper pipes.

Kalighat then moved to dry-dock, where the fendders of the boat were replaced. But surprisingly as the ship was pulled out from the dock, both the newly replaced fendders cracked. To add to the misery, one of the Port Hole of the ship (98 Seating) got stolen and to hush up the issue, a Port Hole from the GS Cabin was removed and installed at 98 seating.

MV Kalighat with incomplete repairs is now being forced to sail back to Port Blair in couple of days because of the immense pressure on the Directorate of Shipping Services. The islanders can just hope that the ship in the mercy of God would be able to serve them without any mishap.