Sri Vijaya Puram, July 11: The Campaign Committee Chairman of the Andaman and Nicobar Territorial Congress Committee (ANTCC), TSG Bhasker, has sought urgent intervention from the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation to regulate what he described as exorbitant airfares on routes connecting Sri Vijaya Puram with major mainland cities, arguing that rising ticket prices are placing an unsustainable financial burden on island residents and affecting tourism.
In a representation addressed to the Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Bhasker said airfares between Sri Vijaya Puram and cities including Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata and Visakhapatnam have become unaffordable for ordinary passengers. He urged the Centre to introduce measures to ensure affordable air connectivity for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands throughout the year.
Referring to his recent travel experience, Bhasker stated that a one-way airfare from Delhi to Sri Vijaya Puram for two passengers cost ₹73,662. He said the fare reflected the sharp increase in ticket prices on mainland routes serving the Islands.
Bhasker argued that domestic air travel to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands often costs more than international travel to several foreign destinations. He said such pricing disproportionately affects island residents, who depend almost entirely on air transport for connectivity with the mainland.
According to the representation, high airfares have also affected the tourism sector by contributing to a decline in visitor arrivals to the Islands. He said the rising cost of travel has made the destination less accessible for tourists while increasing financial hardship for residents.
Bhasker stated that air connectivity is essential for islanders pursuing higher education, seeking specialised medical treatment, attending employment opportunities, conducting business and responding to family emergencies. He said students studying on the mainland and patients requiring advanced treatment in cities such as Chennai, Kolkata and Delhi are among those most affected by escalating airfare costs.
He further stated that families transporting critically ill patients, including stretcher cases, are often forced to incur substantial travel expenses, with some reportedly selling their properties to meet the costs. He described the situation as financially devastating for residents of a Union Territory that relies primarily on air connectivity.
Questioning the absence of airfare regulation, Bhasker said the government fixes maximum retail prices for essential commodities such as packaged drinking water but has not prescribed any ceiling on airline fares despite the essential nature of air travel for the Islands. He also expressed concern over reduced flight frequencies during the off-season, stating that lower seat availability has contributed to higher fares.
In his representation, Bhasker urged the Ministry of Civil Aviation to direct airlines to maintain reasonable fares throughout the year, introduce a maximum airfare ceiling on mainland routes, increase flight frequencies, encourage greater competition among airlines, provide concessional fares for patients travelling for medical treatment and operate chartered flights during peak travel seasons.
He said air travel is an essential service for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and expressed hope that the Ministry would take prompt steps to regulate airfare pricing and protect the interests of island residents and tourists.
