Port Blair (Sri Vijaya Puram): An accommodation facility meant to ease the burden on Islanders travelling to Chennai for medical treatment and other essential needs is facing questions over its persistent ‘FULL’ booking status, with the Our Rights Organization (ORO) demanding a time-bound probe into the online reservation system and room allotment process at the Andaman Guest House in Anna Nagar.
In a letter dated November 4 to the Lieutenant Governor, ORO Chairman C. Saravanan alleged that the online booking portal almost invariably displays ‘FULL’, leaving genuine applicants struggling to secure accommodation. The situation, the organisation said, forces patients, attendants and students to turn to expensive private lodging, adding to the financial strain of families already burdened by medical, travel and educational expenses.
Seeking an independent examination of the facility, ORO has called for verification of its actual room capacity, occupancy records, booking registers and allotment details to establish whether rooms are being allocated strictly under prescribed rules. It has also sought an investigation into possible technical glitches, administrative lapses or other factors behind the recurring non-availability status.
The organisation has demanded a transparent booking mechanism that reflects actual room availability, prevents preferential allotment and ensures equal access to eligible Islanders. It has further proposed priority accommodation or a dedicated quota for patients requiring specialised and repeated medical treatment, as well as students pursuing higher education in Chennai.
ORO has also urged the administration to explore expansion of the existing facility, besides introducing an effective grievance-redressal mechanism to address booking-related complaints and ensure timely responses.
Describing the guest house as a vital public welfare facility for the geographically isolated Islands, Saravanan has sought the Lieutenant Governor’s intervention for a time-bound inquiry and corrective measures to ensure that accommodation meant for Islanders does not remain inaccessible to those who need it most.
