Sri Vijaya Puram, Oct 03: The Chairman of the Campaign Committee of Andaman & Nicobar Territorial Congress Committee (ANTCC) Mr. TSG Bhasker, has raised serious concerns over the severely deteriorated condition of National Highway-4 between Baratang and Diglipur, calling it a “Nightmare” for commuters and a “fraud on the people of the Islands.”
In a letter addressed to the Lt. Governor of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Mr. Bhasker highlighted the shocking lack of progress in the NH-4 road works, which have been ongoing since 2017 under the supervision of NHIDCL
Despite repeated appeals, the highway remains largely incomplete, with several stretches in advanced stages of decay, endangering the lives of residents and travellers.
“The road, once maintained better by the APWD, has now turned into a hazard,” Mr. Bhasker stated following a recent 3-day journey from Port Blair to Diglipur.
Mr. Bhasker emphasized that despite repeated requests and follow-ups, the work on NH-4 under the NHIDCL remains incomplete. He stated that the agency has consistently failed to meet deadlines and shifted milestones without delivering meaningful progress.
According to him, many stretches remain either unfinished or have deteriorated significantly, making travel dangerous and unreliable. Portions of the road, particularly between Baratang and Rangat and from Billiground to Mayabunder, are yet to be completed, while even the completed stretches between Mayabunder and Diglipur have suffered damage, with only minimal sections remaining usable.
Mr. Bhasker called this a clear case of fraud on the people of the Islands and demanded a CBI investigation to identify those responsible for what he described as a large-scale misuse of public funds.
He expressed grave concern over the impact of the highway’s condition on the everyday lives of residents in Middle and North Andaman. The deteriorated road has disrupted the daily routine of people living along the route, forced hotel owners into financial crisis due to the absence of tourists, and rendered auto drivers and transport operators jobless.
Furthermore, Mr. Bhasker highlighted the economic implications of the neglected highway, noting that the cost of living has increased due to rising transportation expenses. He warned that even medical evacuations have become life-threatening, as ambulances often fail to navigate the damaged roads in time, especially in critical cases such as transporting pregnant women.
In his letter, Mr. Bhasker urged the Lt. Governor to intervene directly, hold the responsible agency accountable, and blacklist it from future projects in the Islands.
