Expresses gratitude to Chief Secretary, A&N Administration for initiating the National Highway Proposal
New Delhi, Feb 14: Shri Bishnu Pada Ray, Hon’ble Member of Parliament of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, met Shri Nitin Gadkari, Hon’ble Minister of Road Transport & Highways on 12/02/2025 to request the expedited approval of the proposal submitted by the UT Administration for the upgradation of 14 State Highway roads to National Highways, including the development of wayside amenities.
The Hon’ble MP expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the Chief Secretary of A&N Administration for proactively acting on the decision and directions given by the Hon’ble Minister of Road Transport & Highways during his visit to Sri Vijayapuram and the review meeting at Raj Niwas on 27th December 2024.
Following the Minister’s directives, the A&N Administration, under the guidance of the Chief Secretary, conducted a comprehensive survey and identified 14 main roads connecting jetties across the A&N Islands (i.e. C/Bay, Kamorta, Katchal, Car Nicobar, Little Andaman, Bathu Basthi to Chatham-Bambooflat bridge, Bambooflat Jetty to Ferrargunj via Ograbranj, Tushnabad to Tirur via Manpur, Collinpur beach nd Herbetabad, Wandoor jetty to Sippighat connecting Manjeeri, Swaraj Dweep, Shaheed Dweep, Mayabunder, Dilipur, Kalara junction to Ram Nagar via Kalighat jetty) for declaration as National Highways with wayside amenities. With keen interest and dedicated efforts, the Chief Secretary, along with the Secretary (APWD), Chief Engineer (APWD) and their team, swiftly prepared and submitted the proposal to the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways within a time-bound framework.
Acknowledging this noteworthy step, the Hon’ble MP appreciated the commitment and efficiency of the Chief Secretary and his team in advancing the proposal. He further assured that he is actively pursuing the matter with the Ministry to secure principal approval at the earliest.
Once principal approval is obtained, the UT Administration will proceed with preparing detailed estimates for all 14 proposed roads, paving the way for formal declaration as National Highways. This initiative marks a major milestone in enhancing connectivity across the islands and fostering infrastructure development in the A&N Islands.