CHENNAI: The 36-hour ordeal for over 600 passengers, who were stranded in the Chennai port on the vessel 'Nicobar' ended on Wednesday morning after officials asked the passengers to disembark from the ship and made alternate arrangements for a few of them.
The vessel, originally scheduled to leave for Port Blair on Monday at 7 pm, had not departed till Wednesday morning due to technical glitches.
The passengers said they were left with little information on when the journey would start as they were made to stay in the vessel. The passengers said alternative arrangement for their travel was made only after a few passengers took the risk of informing the local media in the city of their plight.
"We were left high and dry. I had come with my mother, wife and son to visit Melmaravathur and were scheduled to reach (Port Blair) today. But the ship did not depart and now they have asked us to disembark from the vessel," said a passenger.
The ordeal for passengers began when they boarded the vessel which was to depart in the evening on January 2. "Initially, we thought it is a minor glitch and the vessel would set sail. But it did not happen," said another passenger.
First, the excuse given was a technical glitch, then they said the fan of the ship had some problem and now it is learnt that the ship has an engine problem.
"Why was the ship given clearance to operate by Marine Mercantile Department when it has this much technical glitches. What would have happened if we would have been stranded mid-sea," said an angry woman passenger.
Most of the passengers preferred anonymity as officials are enquiring how the news got leaked out from Chennai Port where media persons are not allowed.
It is learnt that a few of the passengers were flown by the chartered flight of Andaman and Nicobar Islands while the rest paid for their flight charges. Most of the stranded passengers said they don't have any cash on them or a place to go.
"They are arranging for a ship from Visakhapatnam. But this will take nearly two days to arrive. Where will we survive during the next two days," said the passenger.
Port officials told Express that it was assured that the ship would sail on Tuesday night but that did not happen. "Since the engine of the ship failed, we have asked the passengers to disembark and alternate arrangements have been made," he added.
To a query on who is to be blamed for the delay, the official said that it is the responsibility of the Andaman and Nicobar administration. The Andaman and Nicobar officials could not be contacted.