MoS Shipping Shantanu Thakur Addresses Press Convention in Sri Vijaya Puram; Says Floor Work on Great Nicobar Port to Start in 1–2 Years

Tarun Karthick

Sri Vijaya Puram, 11 June 2025

In a bid to spotlight the achievements of the NDA Government over the previous 11 years, the Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Mr. Shantanu Thakur, addressed a press convention on tenth June 2025 at Hotel Sea Shell, Sri Vijaya Puram. The occasion was a part of the nationwide outreach programme beneath the theme “Viksit Bharat Ka Amrit Kaal: Seva, Sushasan aur Garib Kalyan ke 11 Saal.”

Mr. Ajoy Bairagi, President of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) within the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, opened the convention by detailing a number of initiatives and schemes carried out by the Central Government which have instantly benefited the folks of the Islands.

Minister Thakur, in his keynote deal with, offered a complete overview of the federal government’s developmental journey and coverage reforms to enhance the lifetime of frequent residents. He highlighted key milestones, together with the development of 1.5 lakh kilometres of recent roads and the modernisation of over 70 airports throughout the nation. Emphasising India’s rising maritime capabilities, he famous that just about 70% of the nation’s commerce now passes by way of Indian ports.

He highlighted the ₹76,000 crore funding for the proposed transshipment port at Great Nicobar, alongside a parallel ₹76,000 crore port improvement close to Mumbai. He underscored the federal government’s imaginative and prescient of elevating India into the worldwide high 5 when it comes to port infrastructure.

Mr. Thakur highlighted the federal government’s swift and profitable execution of “Operation Sindoor” and strongly condemned international acts of terrorism. He reaffirmed India’s unwavering dedication to the traditional doctrine of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam—the idea that the world is one household. He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “once-in-a-generation leader” beneath whose management, he mentioned, India is poised for continued international prominence.

In an interplay with native journalists, Mr. Thakur responded to a number of urgent questions concerning the maritime and port sector, which performs a vital position within the on a regular basis lifetime of Islanders.

Responding to a query from Nicobar Times relating to the timeline for on-ground development of the transshipment port element of the Great Nicobar Project, the Minister acknowledged that the challenge is expansive and consists of not solely a deep-draft port but additionally a greenfield airport, energy plant, and a brand new metropolis. He knowledgeable that groundwork is anticipated to start in 1–2 years, whereas the total challenge will unfold over 15–20 years. He acknowledged the aspirations of the native inhabitants and guaranteed that the federal government is dedicated to fulfilling them, albeit with the time obligatory for such a large improvement.

When requested about future port and delivery infrastructure for the Islands, Mr. Thakur shared that he had lately surveyed Little Andaman, Car Nicobar, and Great Nicobar personally. He confused the significance of building useful jetties in all inhabited areas and revealed that the ministry is engaged on creating location-specific jetty fashions to enhance inter-island connectivity and transport effectivity.

Addressing questions concerning the proposed passenger ships MV Atal and MV Ashoka, the Minister defined that earlier declines in airfare had rendered passenger ships much less important. However, the current surge in airfares has renewed the necessity for sea-based passenger transport. He assured that obligatory steps might be taken.

The occasion concluded with a vote of thanks by Mr. Sanjay Kumar Singh, State Vice President of BJP, Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Earlier, Mr. M. Vinod, the State Vice President of BJP, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the In-Charge of the Media Cell, welcomed the scribes.