Port Blair is the capital of Andaman and Nicobar islands, located in the southern part of the archipelago. Diglipur sits on North Andaman island and is the largest city on the island. It is the major gateway to the neighbouring attractions including mud volcanoes, stunning beaches of Ram Nagar, the Ross and Smith islands and the Saddle Peak National Park. The two destinations have never been connected by rail before.
The new railway link is expected to be 240 km long, running parallel to the coast with several stations along the route. It is expected that it will take around three hours only to travel the whole length of the line. Currently, buses need about 14 hours to cover the overland route that stretches slightly less than 300 km from the capital to the north. It is possible to travel between Diglipur and Port Blair by sea, too, but the journey is painfully slow and takes up to 24 hours.
The main reason behind the construction of the railway link is to attract more tourists by facilitating commuting around the islands. Boosting tourism will help local econimies to generate more revenues. The project is costly but the management committee is certain that they can cover up the expenditure by enhancing tourist arrivals.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands in India to Be Connected by Rail
News in Asia
Andaman and Nicobar islands, India's Union Terrirory and the country's most popular exotic islands located in the Bay of Bengal, will soon get a railway link between Diglipur and Port Blair.