First Railway Route to Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Here is the great news from the Govt. It is well known news that, Andman and Nicobar Islands have been a favourite destination among travelers especially honeymooners for their pristine beauty, calm seas and natural bounty. If you too have dreams of enjoying a vacation in the much-loved islands then here is one big good news for you. The Railways is planning a train in Andman and Nicobar for the first time ever!

While you might have already started visualizing the scenic beauty welcoming you as you gaze through the window, here is everything that you need to know about the soon-to-start rail route.

Connecting Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the 240-km railway line will have bridges and stations along the coast. This will connect Port Blair with Diglipur becoming the first rail line in the country to get the archipelago on the rail map.

Currently Port Blair and Diglipur are linked by a 350-km bus service that takes over 14 hours and a ship that takes around 24 hours. There is no air connectivity.

The rail line will be built with Rs 2,413.68 crore with a negative rate of return on investment of -9.64 per cent. Though a rail line is considered commercially viable if it is at least a positive of 12 per cent yet Railways has approved the plan due to its "uniqueness and strategic importance", as per documents reviewed by The Indian Express.

Planning and Finance directorates of Railways said that the project “is unique, away from the mainland, and has tourism potential.