Five ships to be dry-docked; travel woes of Dweep residents to worsen

The acute travel woes of hundreds of Lakshadweep islanders are set to worsen further as yet another ship will be taken out of service for dry-docking on February 2, leaving only a small vessel to connect Kochi with the islands.

- Krishna Kumar K E @Kochi

While passengers are crying foul over the lack of periodic maintenance and poor planning that led to four of five vessels being rendered out of service, the Lakshadweep administration authorities promise to deploy back two of the main ships by March before the summer vacation rings in.

The lack of sufficient number of ships has already resulted in a large number of islanders, including those who have arrived here for availing medical treatment, stranded, and forced to stay back for weeks altogether, while striving to get a ticket back home.