Demand for Daily Bus for Baratang Island gains support; Official in STS department says schedule as per demand

Gracy Tripathy & Vikramaditya
Port Blair, Feb 23: The demand for daily STS bus service between Baratang Islands and Port Blair is gaining support as now the former Up-adhayaksh of North and Middle Andaman Zilla Parishad, Mr. Alager Swami has also urged the Transport Department to start daily bus service for Baratang, as it was done before Lockdown period.
According to details the Bus Service between Baratang and Port Blair was always in demand since the beginning but after lockdown the bus service was withdrawn.
Soon after Unlock measures, taken up by Administration, thrice a week bus service for Baratang was started by Transport Department on public demand. But residents of Baratang Island say that only thrice a week Bus Service is not enough for the entire region.
“Most of the time people of Baratang have to depend on buses of other region to reach Port Blair and vice versa, just because there is no daily bus service, exclusively between Baratang and Port Blair. Presently many people are forced to travel by own car as they don’t get ticket for STS bus for Baratang,” said Mr. Alager Swami.
When contacted a senior official of Transport told Andaman Sheekha that the bus schedule for Baratang has been made as per public demand. “If there is a clear cut demand for daily bus service, we will certainly provide the same for Baratang Island too. Infact tomorrow I will examine with the ticketing counter about the demand for tickets for Baratang Island,” the official added.