SCI to operate ships in Lakshadweep

The running and maintenance of ships of the Union Territory (UT) of Lakshadweep have been handed over to the Shipping Corporation of India to improve shipping operations, the administration of the island archipelago said on Thursday.

The administration of the UT, in a release, said it has been taking all efforts to ensure smooth and efficient operations of the ships.

Of the five ships in service for the people of Lakshadweep and connecting people between islands and Kochi, two are undergoing repairs, it said.

The other three vessels are operating but with many unsold tickets which indicated the need for “optimal planning and utilisation of voyages of the ships considering the requirement of the local population,” the release said.

It also said that the island administration had facilitated hassle-free movement of Hajj Pilgrims through special voyages and requirements of students, for attending exams, have also been taken care of by coordinating with the education department.

The administration claimed that despite these continuous efforts by it, “there are ill-intended news spread by certain elements with an intention to spread hatred and panic among the island community.”