Sri Vijaya Puram, Nov. 11: CPI (M) Port Blair City Area Committee has organized a mass demonstration at the entrance of the Chatham Bridge (Near Chatham Police Station) demanding (i) immediate renovation of Chatham Bridge (ii) To allow auto rickshaw to ply on the Chatham bridge with 2 -3 passengers (iii) to conduct inquiry into the situation which led to the present condition of the bridge.
Inaugurating the mass demonstration, D. Ayyappan, Secretary, CPI (M) A&N State Organising Committee criticized the Modi government and A & N Administration for the closing down of the Chatham bridge for vehicular movement for the last four months. The Chatham Bridge, connecting Chatham Island and Haddo – was constructed by the Andaman Lakshadweep Harbour Works during 1975 and since then the ALHW has been maintaining the bridge. During 2021, the central government and A & N Administration took away the maintenance of the Chatham bridge from ALHW and handed it over to the APWD. He said that during the last several years, there was no proper repair/maintenance of the Chatham Bridge, which led to the present situation.
Addressing the gathering, P. Sathyapal, Secretary, CPI (M) Port Blair City Area Committee briefly explained the difficulties being faced by thousands of people from the rural South Andaman areas who commute through Chatham Bridge daily.
D. Laxman Rao, Secretary, Rural South Andaman of the Party urged the Administration to take immediate steps to get the required renovation work on the Chatham Bridge and open the bridge for vehicular traffic. He demanded that auto rickshaws, with restrictions, should be allowed to ply over the bridge.
Senior leader Pronob Banerjee, SP Kalairajan, State Organising Committee Member and NKP Nair, Member Port Blair City Area Committee also addressed the gathering. A large number of people participated in the mass demonstration.