John Wilbert & Saurabh Singh
Port Blair, Jul 27: Several difficulties owing to the non-existence of the basic infrastructures in their village, the villagers of Shivpur under Gram Panchayat Shivapuram, Mayabunder Tehsil are demanding immediate repair of Steel Bailey Bridge of Shivpur village.
Talking to Andaman Sheekha, some villagers of Shivpur said that their village is totally cut off from the mainstream of development and the villagers are facing hardship mainly due to a damaged old steel bridge that was constructed by APWD and was a lifeline for the villagers.
Sadly the bridge has been kept closed since the last five years due to its fragile condition and is not even safe for walking. Now the bridge is closed with welding bars, on both sides, to prevent the entrance of all vehicles, the residents of the village are forced to take a long detour of 02 km through an alternative Bridge for transportation and medical emergencies.
When Andaman Sheekha Daily contacted a senior officer of the APWD, it was informed that they are aware of the matter and also the fact that the Steel Bailey Bridge over the Shivapuram Creek is closed from both sides.
The officer said that the cost of the heavy iron bridge is high and this is why the department has to process a tender to repair it completely. “The file has been processed and as soon as the department gets approval from the A&N Administration the repair work will start,” the officer added.
