Port Blair, Feb 21: Talking to our Correspondent, Dr T.K. Jijith Rekh, State Spokesperson, BJP A&N today said that the Indian Government has set the stage to improve connectivity in Andaman & Nicobar Islands by sanctioning and ensuring the quick completion of a number of road projects. Before the BJP government came to power, the NH was just like a rural road. But after 2014, the Modi-led Central Government has initiated various highway projects for expanding road connectivity in the Islands through Bharatmala projects.

Rekh also mentioned that the government has also sought the help of National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), a public sector company incorporated in July 2014 to develop National Highways and other infrastructure at a fast pace in the North East and Strategic areas of the country sharing International Borders, to improve the road  infrastructure in the Islands.

The Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently inaugurated the 1.45-km-long Humfrey Strait Bridge on NH-4. It is the longest bridge on the Islands, connecting South and Middle Andaman between Gandhi Ghat and Uttara, constructed by NHIDCL at a cost of Rs.202 crore within a record time of two years. The work of the Middle Strait Creek Bridge between Baratang and Middle Strait is also going on under the supervision of NHIDCL for which a total of Rs. 263 crore has been sanctioned by the government.  The widening of the Bedonabad- Ferrargunj section of NH4 has also been completed at a cost of 125 crores.

The BJP Spokesperson also stated that the centre has also recently approved the construction of 7 new national highways of the total length of 135 kms. Resolution of such long-pending connectivity issues will boost tourism, business, and employment in the region.

Apart from this, these projects will also ensure the timely supply of basic facilities like medicine, building materials etc. the scarcity of which has been a long- pending crisis of the people living in North & Middle Andaman.