Katchal Island, July 14, 2025 — The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has formally raised pressing concerns regarding inadequate transport services and severe cash shortages affecting the residents of Katchal Island in the Nicobar district. In separate letters addressed to key administrative authorities, CPI (M) Secretary D. Ayyappan urged immediate intervention to alleviate the hardships faced by the island’s population.
In a letter to the Director of Transport, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Ayyappan highlighted the critical shortage of public transport on the island. Of the two State Transport Service (STS) buses allocated to Katchal, one remains out of service due to major mechanical issues, leaving only a single bus to cater to the entire island. The lone operational bus is often overburdened, especially during school hours and when speedboats arrive from Kamorta, disrupting essential travel for students, patients, and workers.
The CPI (M) also criticized the Transport Department’s alleged indifference to repeated requests for additional buses. Ayyappan noted that private operators have exploited the situation by charging exorbitant fares, further burdening the local population.
In a separate communication to Mr. P.G. Paul, Chairman of the Andaman & Nicobar State Cooperative Bank Ltd., CPI (M) demanded urgent replenishment of currency notes to the island via Pawan Hans helicopter services. The party cited acute cash shortages at the only functioning bank branch on the island, which has rendered the newly installed ATM inoperative for several days.
“The residents are unable to access basic financial services due to the non-functioning ATM and lack of cash supply. This has disrupted daily transactions and caused widespread inconvenience,” Ayyappan stated in the letter, urging the Chairman to personally investigate and resolve the issue.
The CPI (M)’s intervention underscores the broader infrastructural and logistical challenges faced by remote island communities in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago. The party has called for swift administrative action to restore essential services and ensure equitable access for Katchal’s residents.
