Kerala - Kochi   

22 new ships for Lakshadweep fleet

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: Transport facilities to Lakshadweep islands will be strengthened with 22 small and big ships to be inducted into service in the next one year.

Addressing a press meet here on Friday P.P. Koya, MP, said that a tug of 15-passenger capacity had already reached the island.

"Two more tugs, a 15-seater and a 20-seater, would arrive at the end of the month," he said.

Dr. Koya said three bigger boats, with a capacity of carrying 150 passengers each, would be delivered by the end of the year while a 50-seater speed boat will be inducted in September.

M.V. Kavaratti, being built in Vishakhapatnam, with a capacity of 750 passengers, will also be added to the fleet by May/June next year.

Two boats with a capacity of 250 passengers each will be joining the fleet next year in June.

When all these boats would start functioning, the services of M.V Tipu Sulthan and M.V. Bharat Seema will be withdrawn. Both these boats are very old and the people in the island are forced to travel on these boats because of lack of other transport system.

Dr. Koya said no boats were commissioned in the recent past.

They need to be ordered since one cannot buy them off the shelf like other items.

Referring to CBI raids conducted at his place, Dr. Koya said it was politically orchestrated and the officials could gather nothing pertinent from his house.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Amenities at North and South railway stations being improved
Court admits SFI, DYFI pleas
22 new ships for Lakshadweep fleet
Initiative to revive Eloor-Periyar link canal
One killed, two injured in accident at worksite
Around the City
In Kochi Today
Campus Notes
High alert in city

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu