Special ships between Port Blair, Chennai to ferry stranded migrants

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands administration has decided to arrange special ships between Port Blair and Chennai to ferry stranded migrant workers, students, pilgrims and tourists, officials said on Friday (May 1).

The decision was taken after the Centre on Wednesday issued fresh directives allowing states to transport stranded people to their home states or destination amid the COVID-19-induced lockdown.

“The transportation of such personnel shall be on one time, one way basis only,” the deputy director of Shipping Services said in a statement. “Primarily only asymptomatic people who clear the screening process will be allowed to board the ship,” the statement said.

Related news: States gear up to take in migrants a day after Centre allows travel

Further, all persons arriving in Port Blair will be mandatorily quarantined for 14 days and they will be required to give an undertaking regarding this before boarding, it said.

Officials said those who want to travel will have to register themselves by 5 pm on May 2. “Based on the data of stranded personnel, sailing will be scheduled in the near future and announced accordingly,” it said.

People who want to travel from Port Blair to Chennai can register themselves by sending an SMS to 9932080480 and 9150572319 with details such as name, age, sex, present location, final destination and mobile number.

People who want to travel from Chennai to Port Blair can register themselves with the assistant director of Shipping Services in Chennai by sending an SMS with such details to 9434272187.