Direct international flights to Andamans planned

Port Blair to be international airport; island tourism may get a leg-up

BY A CORRESPONDENT
8th January 2006

Direct international flights to Andaman & Nicobar islands could soon become a reality if the plans of the island administration go through. A decision to make Andaman airport an international one has already been taken.

Only 38 out of the 572 Andamand & Nicobar islands have human settlements. From among these, only about ten are expected to be opened for tourists. After arriving in the islands by flight, travelers may also be able to move from island to island on helicopters or small planes instead of the ferries available now.

Lying 1,200 kilometers away from the mainland in the Indian Ocean, the picturesque Andaman-Nicobar cluster of islands is the farthest outpost of the Indian state, and lies closer to Indonesia than India. The islands were ravaged by the 2005 tsunami, which claimed lives and altered its topography. The administration believes that wealthy tourists who visit the Andamans can be key to reviving the fragile island economy.

India has a military base in the Nicobar islands, and foreigners are not allowed entry here. Even for Andamans, only those Indians with a permit are allowed to land. Soon, international tourists will be able to land in Andamans, the head of Andaman administration DS Negi was quoted as telling a news agency.

The air travel from Delhi to the Andaman capital of Port Blair is expected to cost about Rs 25,000. (approximately $570)

Andaman & Nicobar islands are home to several tribes who have been there since pre-historic times. The islands also sustain unique plants and animals, in its delicate ecology. Besides being a military base, these reasons have always kept the Indian government from opening the islands for mass tourism.