The Indian government on Monday (31) has designated its Port Blair airport as an authorised immigration checkpoint to allow the foreign tourists to directly reach the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The new move of the government makes Port Blair airport as an authorised check post for entry into and exit from India with valid travel records.
The latest move by the Indian government has come a month after the killing of a US citizen by the members of a tribal community living in one of the islands of the union territory.
"In pursuance of sub-rule (b) of rule 3 of the Passport (Entry into India) Rules, 1950, the central government hereby designates Port Blair airport of Union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands as an authorised immigration check post for entry into/exit from India with valid travel documents for all classes of passengers," said home ministry in a statement.
India’s home ministry has also appointed the Superintendent of Police, CID, The Andaman and Nicobar Police as the civil authority for immigration check post at Port Blair with effect from Monday (31).
According to the information available with the Indian home ministry, more than 16,00000 tourists have visited the islands between 2015 and 2018.
The archipelago welcomed 4,02,393 tourists, including 11,818 foreigners, till October 2018 while it received 4,87,229 visitors, including 15,310 foreigners in 2017.
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands is a union territory and comes under the administrative control of the country’s home ministry.
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (30) announced the renaming of three islands of the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago as a tribute to India’s brave freedom fighter, iconic leader, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
Now, The Ross Island has been renamed as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep, Neil Island as Shaheed Dweep, and the Havelock Island as Swaraj Dweep.
