Sri Vijaya Puram, Sept. 21: Hon’ble Member of Parliament, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Bishnu Pada Ray has urged Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari to intervene urgently in the extremely poor condition of the National Highway stretch from Kadamtala to Diglipur in North & Middle Andaman, including the slow progress of the Baratang Creek Bridge.
In a letter to the Union Minister, the MP stated that several portions of the NH are in a highly deplorable condition, with large potholes and damaged stretches making the road unsafe and, at several locations, virtually unfit for safe vehicular movement.
He said that daily commuters, motorists, school-going children, patients and public transport users are facing serious difficulties due to the poor condition of the road. The MP said that despite repeated representations and assurances for improvement, effective maintenance of the NH has not been ensured. He urged NHIDCL to immediately undertake proper maintenance and keep the entire stretch safe and motorable until the permanent works are completed.
Shri Ray also requested Shri Gadkari to convene an urgent review meeting with senior NHIDCL officials and the concerned contractors to assess the actual ground situation, review the progress of ongoing works and fix responsibility for delays and poor maintenance.
He further urged that adequate manpower, machinery and construction materials be deployed to ensure continuous progress and that the pending works be completed within the committed target of December 2026, including the Baratang Creek Bridge as per its time lines.
The MP said that issues such as the rainy season, utility shifting and material-related difficulties should be resolved through proper planning and coordination and should not result in continued delay.
“Further delay cannot be allowed at the cost of public safety and convenience, as the people of North & Middle Andaman have been suffering due to the poor condition of this vital NH stretch for a long time,” Ray said.
He has requested the Union Minister to issue urgent directions to NHIDCL for immediate corrective action and effective monitoring of the works.