Protests held in Lakshadweep islands against ship fare hike

Protests were organised across the Lakshadweep islands on Wednesday against the steep hike in ship fare to and from the archipelago.

Hundreds of islanders participated in protests organised by the Lakshadweep Pradesh Congress Committee. Muhammed Hamdullah Sayeed, Member of Parliament and president of the Lakshadweep Pradesh Congress Committee, said that representations were submitted to the Deputy Collectors of the islands against the hike as part of the protest. “I had earlier written to Lakshadweep administrator Praful Patel demanding an immediate rollback of the steep hike in fares,” he said.

The letter had stated that the steep escalation, particularly the 42.4% hike in bunk class fares, which disproportionately burdens low-income and marginalised residents, appears excessive, arbitrary, and devoid of proportionality in relation to service quality, economic indices, or public justification.

He alleged that the revision had been imposed without any public consultation, stakeholder engagement, or transparent justification, thereby rendering the process procedurally infirm and in violation of the principles of natural justice and fair public administration. The fare hike warranted urgent reconsideration and structured review, he added.