PORT BLAIR: After reports that Prime Minister Narendra Modi might announce the decision to rename Havelock Island to Swaraj Dweep, Neil Island to Shaheed Dweep and Ross Island to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Island, locals are upset with the proposal. Modi will be on a two-day visit to the Andamans from December 29, 2018.
The social media is flooded with adverse reactions, mainly because the remote Islands are facing problems of connectivity and transportation. According to them, it’s more important than ‘names’.People of Andaman and Nicobar islands are upset as the administration didn’t consult the citizens before taking a decision. Those associated with the tourism business said that they had invested money in creating a brand name for ‘Havelock Island’ and ‘Neil Island’.
According to tourism stakeholders, it took several decades to build the brand names, and they fear that a name change could take several more years to create new brand names. Meanwhile, the Andaman and Nicobar Hoteliers’ Association has expressed reservation and shot off a letter to the prime minister. “These Islands — Havelock, Neil, Ross Island, Viper Island, Jolly Boy, North Bay, Red Skin, etc — are synonymous with tourism. Changing the names of these islands, after having created a strong brand will cause immense loss to tourism,” G Bhasker, president of ANHA said.