Much to the relief of Lakshadweep islanders stranded here, MV Kavaratti, the vessel with the biggest capacity, set sail from here for Minicoy island with 700 passengers on board on Monday evening.
The vessel eventually resumed operations nearly three weeks after it was pulled off the water for the annual 10-day maintenance. However, the vessel did not resume operations as originally planned on January 24 after all the tickets were sold off. Neither did it resume operations on January 28 as it was rescheduled.
Passengers who had taken tickets on MV Kavaratti for Kalpeni and Androth islands were later accommodated on another vessel, MV Arabian Sea, last Thursday.
Of the tickets available on MV Kavaratti on Monday, eight first class, 93 second class, and 169 bunk class tickets from Kochi to Minicoy were reserved for passengers who had taken tickets for the cancelled trip on January 24.
The vessel is set to reach Minicoy on Tuesday and Kalpeni, Androth, Agatti, and Kavaratti on subsequent days before returning to Kochi on February 3.
The absence of adequate number of vessels has been giving Lakshadweep islanders a harrowing time, as many remain stranded here for weeks not to mention the economic burden in its wake. In the place of seven vessels in the past, only four conduct services now.
