Sri Vijaya Puram, Oct 31:The residents of Harinagar Ward No. 06, under Gram Panchayat Harinagar, have urged the North and Middle Andaman Administration to take urgent steps to restore their deteriorating main village road, which serves as the only lifeline connecting nearly a thousand villagers to Billiground Bazaar, the local hospital, schools, and other essential public facilities.
Once considered one of the oldest and best-maintained village roads in the panchayat, the stretch was constructed more than three decades ago and had remained in good condition due to regular repair and maintenance in earlier years. However, over the past five to seven years, the road has fallen into complete disrepair. It has now turned into a muddy, broken, and unsafe passage, posing serious risks to daily commuters, particularly schoolchildren, women, and elderly residents.
According to villagers, the condition worsened after a stone quarry began operating in the nearby area. The constant movement of overloaded trucks carrying stones through the narrow road has caused severe erosion, deep potholes, and dangerous sliding of soil — particularly near the residence of Mr. Nanigopal Karmakar, where the road is said to be on the verge of collapse. Despite repeated complaints and written appeals, the administration has yet to take any concrete action.
In protest, villagers had blocked the movement of heavy vehicles on December 25, 2024. Following the protest, officials including the Tehsildar of Mayabunder, the Assistant Engineer, and representatives from the NMA visited the site and assured immediate repairs along with the construction of a retaining wall. Sadly, even after ten months, no work has been initiated, leaving the villagers frustrated and disheartened.
Residents say that the situation has now become unbearable. Students find it difficult to reach their schools safely, while women and elderly people struggle daily due to mud, slush, and stone debris piled along both sides of the road by quarry operators. Many houses adjoining the road have become nearly inaccessible.
The villagers, led by local women, have now demanded that the district administration hold quarry operators accountable for the damage. They insist that the quarry owners should be directed to carry out road maintenance with bitumen and proper materials at least once every fifteen days. They also want quarry operations to be suspended from May to November each year — the monsoon period — to prevent further damage and ensure public safety.
The residents have warned that if their demands are not met within a reasonable time, they will have no option but to block the road again and launch an indefinite hunger strike involving women and school-going children. They have appealed to the North and Middle Andaman Administration to intervene urgently, repair the damaged road, and regulate quarry activities in the area before the situation spirals out of control.
