The historicCellular Jail is in the city, and nearby small islands such as Corbyn's Cove,Wandoor,Ross Island andViper Island were once home to British colonists.[6] The city was named after CaptainArchibald Blair, a British colonial navy official of the East India Company. On 13 September 2024, theGovernment of India renamed the city to Sri Vijaya Puram.[7]
In 1789 the Government ofBengal established a penal colony onChatham Island in the southeast bay ofGreat Andaman, named Port Blair in the honour ofArchibald Blair of theEast India Company. After two years, the colony moved to the northeast part of Great Andaman and was namedPort Cornwallis after AdmiralWilliam Cornwallis. However, there was much disease and death in the penal colony, and the government ceased operating it in May 1796.
In 1824 Port Cornwallis was the rendezvous of the fleet carrying the army to theFirst Anglo-Burmese War. In the 1830s and 1840s, shipwrecked crews who landed on theAndamans were often attacked and killed by the natives, alarming theBritish government. In 1855, the government proposed another settlement on the islands, including a convict establishment, but theIndian Rebellion of 1857 forced a delay in its construction.
However, since the rebellion provided the British with a lot of new prisoners, it made the new Andaman settlement and prison an urgent necessity. Construction began in November 1857 at the renovated Port Blair, avoiding the vicinity of a saltwater swamp that seemed to have been the source of many of the old colony's problems. The penal colony was originally onViper Island. The convicts, mostlypolitical prisoners, sufferedlife imprisonment athard labour under cruel and degrading conditions. Many were hanged, while others died of disease and starvation. Between 1864 and 1867 a penal establishment was also built with convict labour on the northern side of Ross Island.[10] These structures now lie in ruins.[11]
As theIndian independence movement continued to grow in the late 19th century, the enormousCellular Jail was constructed between 1896 and 1906 to house Indian convicts, mostly political prisoners, insolitary confinement. The Cellular Jail is also known asKala Pani (translated as "Black Waters"), a name given to it due to the torture and general ill-treatment of its Indian convicts.
InWorld War II the islands wereoccupied by the Japanese on 23 March 1942 without opposition from the garrison. From 1943 to 1944, Port Blair served as the headquarters of theAzad Hind government underSubhas Chandra Bose. British forces returned to the islands in October 1945.[12]
Port Blair has atropical monsoon climate (Köppen climate classificationAm), with little variation in average temperature and large amounts of precipitation throughout the year. All months except January, February, and March receive substantial rainfall.
Highest recorded temperature: 36.8 °C (98.2 °F) on 20 April 2013[14]
Lowest recorded temperature: 14.6 °C (58.3 °F) on 5 June 1986[14]
Climate data for Port Blair (1991–2020, extremes 1901–present)
Source 2: NOAA(extremes[14]), Tokyo Climate Center (mean temperatures 1991–2020)[19]
Tourism
Port Blair is the entry point for all tourism-related activities. Tourists first have to arrive at Port Blair before progressing on to any other islands in Andaman. At Port Blair, the major tourist places to visit are theCellular Jail, Corbyns Cove Beach, North Bay Island,Ross Island renamed to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island, Chidiatapu,Wandoor,Samudrika Naval Marine Museum, and other museums that are present within city limits. Entry charges apply to some of the tourist places.[citation needed]
As of 2011[update]Indiacensus,[21] Port Blair had a population of 100,608. Males constitute 52.92% (53,247) of the population and females 47.07% (47,361). 9.3% of the population is under the age of 6 years.
Language
Port Blair is a multilingual city.Largest language's population are
Port Blair has an average literacy rate of 89.76%, higher than the national average that is 74.04%. In Port Blair, male literacy is 92.79%, and female literacy is 86.34%.[citation needed]
Administration
ThePort Blair Municipal Council, abbreviated asPBMC is the ruling civic body administering the city of Port Blair, the capital and the largest city in theIndian union territory ofAndaman and Nicobar Islands. The council came into existence on 2 October 1957 after the assent by thePresident of India to the Andaman & Nicobar Islands (Municipal Board's) Regulation, 1957 Act on 11 March 1957. The council comprises a total of 24 wards after the recent delimitation and the expansion of the city limits with the merger of a few other villages to the existing 18 wards previously.[23][24]
The recent elections for the council were held in 2022.[25][26] U. Kavitha from Ward 24 a member of theBharatiya Janata Party was elected as the chairperson for the first term which commenced on 16 March 2022.[27][28] On 14 March 2023,Telugu Desam Party councillor S. Selvi from Ward 5 was elected as the chairperson for the second year term commencing from 16 March 2023 as part of the joint candidature from the BJP-TDP Alliance.[29][30]
Port Blair Municipal Council (PBMC) has a total of 24 members or councillors, who are directly elected after a term of 5 years. The council is led by the Chairperson. The latest elections were held in 2022. The current chairperson of Port Blair is Sudeep Rai Sharma of theIndian National Congress. The current senior vice chairperson is V. Ravi Chandran of theDravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the junior vice chairperson is Pandi Selvi of theBharatiya Janata Party.
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