Reducing the number of ships running between Lakshadweep and the mainland India has led to protests and mass arrests as the island faces a severe transportation crisis, reported The Indian Express.
The administration over the years, due to decommissioning, maintenance and repair among other reasons, has cut the number of ships operating between the group of islands and mainland India from seven to two. A large chunk of its population, which comprises around 65,000 people, is dependent on this marine transportation to reach other parts of India.
Most of the commuters are students and people belonging to the working class, who have to travel to other parts of India, mostly Kerala, for their studies or work. The issue escalated more as small boats are inoperational in the current rainy season, leaving the people completely dependent on ships.
Angry over the transportation hassle, several people on Thursday marched to the Secretariat in Kavaratti demanding resumption of the ship services. The protest turned violent, resulting in mass arrest by the administration.
However, the Union territory administrator Praful Khodabhai Patel called the protest a "political stunt", adding that the protesters were being "misguided".
“What is taking place in the name of protests is a political stunt. Similar to the high rush of passengers in trains during peak seasons, the vacation season is to blame for the increased demand for services and the associated difficulties," he told the publication.
Patel further said that his administration is already working on ending the crisis. “The Shipping Corporation of India is now repairing a major ship (M V Kavaratti) after it caught fire. We managed to efficiently facilitate the journey of people by prioritising travel of students and senior citizens,” the report quoted him as saying.
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