Port Blair, Oct. 1: In a prominent display of concern and determination, Member of Parliament of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Shri. Kuldeep Rai Sharma conducted a one-day hunger strike today in Rangat. This powerful protest, which began amidst heavy rain, drew the support of thousands of Islanders, including ATR commuters, general public, Jeep Association, Auto Association, PRI members, elected representatives of PBMC and Zilla Parishad, Shopkeepers and media persons, who braved the inclement weather to join him.
Shri. Kuldeep Rai Sharma, addressing the gathered crowd highlighted his longstanding efforts to address the deplorable state of National Highway 4 (NH4). He revealed that since 2021, he had tirelessly raised this issue with both the local administration and the relevant ministry, but the situation had shown no signs of improvement. Consequently, he decided to stage this hunger strike as a last resort, with a warning of more decisive actions in the future if needed.
Prominent citizens of North & Middle Andaman, PRI members and many other public leaders also spoke on the occasion and expressed their anger against the NHIDCL for such a delay in completing NH4 upgradation work.
Responding to this passionate plea, officials from the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) pledged to expedite the pending NH4 upgradation. NHIDCL cited several factors, including delays in obtaining forest clearance, a ban on stone boulder extraction in A&NI, disruptions caused by COVID-19, unavailability of construction materials and heavy machinery on the islands, and subpar contractor performance as reasons for the lingering issues on NH4.
To overcome these challenges, NHIDCL claimed to have devised a multi-pronged strategy:
a) Middle Strait Creek Bridge: The EPC contract with M/s Mantena Vasishta Bridge JV has been terminated due to poor performance. Bids for the remaining work on the project will be accepted until October 19, 2023.
b) Package-III between Baratang to Rangat Section: A decision regarding the foreclosure of this section is pending and will be decided during a reconciliation meeting. Simultaneously, assessments of the project's status are ongoing, with bids for the remaining work expected in the first week of October. To expedite the process, NHIDCL plans to divide the project into two parts and reduce the bid submission period from 45 to 30 days.
In response to the current situation, NHIDCL has initiated urgent repair work, focusing on potholes and damaged sections, to ensure the road remains safe for use during the rainy season. Additionally, a separate contractor will be appointed under the Maintenance & Repair (MER) category to perform extensive repairs until the EPC contractor can commence permanent road construction.
c) Package-IV between Swadesh Nagar to Austin Creek Bridge: While a significant portion of the project has been completed, a 12 km stretch within a reserve forest area awaits clearance. EPC Contractor M/s Vasishta Construction Pvt. Ltd. has committed to finishing the work before March 31, 2024.
d) Package-II Between Austin Creek to Kalara Junction: The EPC contractor has completed 86% of the project's roadwork up to the bituminous layer and is committed to concluding the remaining work within two months of the end of rainy season.
e) Package-VIII from Kalara Junction to Lamiya Bay: Half of the project's work is completed, and the EPC contractor is ensuring the road's traffic-worthiness in this stretch.
The Hunger Strike by the Member of Parliament has brought much-needed attention to the dire state of NH4 and with NHIDCL's assurance of swift action, hopes are high for a brighter, smoother road ahead for the Islands' residents.
On the assurance given by NHIDCL, the Member of Parliament ended the Hunger Strike but he warned that if the assurances and time line for repair of NH4 are not respected then the Member of Parliament will go for a mass agitation in future.