This story is from March 4, 2020

Now, you can sail from M’luru to Lakshadweep

Now, you can sail from M’luru to Lakshadweep
Ready to sail: The MV Minicoy
Vinobha.KT
Mangaluru: The Lakshadweep administration is all set to resume operations of a passenger ship from Mangaluru to the island on Wednesday. People from Mangaluru can travel to Lakshadweep from the Old Port in the city, instead of taking the Kochi route. Currently, Lakshadweep can be reached by ships and flights operated from Kochi. For all tourist purposes, Kochi is the gateway to Lakshadweep.
The resumption of ship service from Mangaluru is expected to boost island tourism in Lakshadweep.
All one needs to do to go to Lakshadweep is to get a letter from a resident on the island, sponsoring them, and book a ticket from the counter at Bunder.
The vessel MV Minicoy will start sailing from Mangaluru Old Port at 1pm on Wednesday, and will reach approximately the next morning. The entry to Lakshadweep islands is restricted. One requires an entry permit issued by the Lakshadweep administration to visit these islands, apart from a resident sponsoring the visitor. The sponsor will get the papers cleared through the administration in Lakshadweep. Later, the ticket can be booked by using a valid identity card. A similar passenger service was launched from Mangaluru Old Port earlier too, but was stopped a few years ago. There are tourism agencies that offer packages which include visits to various tourism spots and stay on the islands, said a source.
Gulam Mohammed, welfare officer of the ship, said that boarding the ship will start at 10am on Wednesday. “The ship will start sailing at 1pm. It has 150 seats and the fare is Rs 200 per head,” he said.
Dakshina Kannada Coastal Regulation Zone Management Committee had granted a no objection certificate to the Lakshadweep administration for the construction of their office and other amenities at Bunder in 2015. The Lakshadweep administration and the Karnataka port department had prepared a plan to construct a harbour, passengers’ waiting complex, goods sheds and other facilities at a cost of Rs 50 crore. The port department also agreed to provide 8,000sqm land to the Lakshadweep administration for the purpose. However, the project has not yet been taken up.
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