Staff Correspondent
Sri Vijaya Puram, May 29: The ambitious upgradation of National Highway-4 (Andaman Trunk Road), considered the lifeline of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, continues to be a source of frustration for thousands of islanders even after nearly nine years since major works were launched. While the Government of India has invested hundreds of crores of rupees for the modernization of the highway, several stretches remain incomplete, critical bridges are yet to be constructed and commuters continue to face daily hardships.
NH-4, which connects South, Middle and North Andaman, is the backbone of road connectivity for the Islands. The project was envisioned to transform travel between Port Blair and Diglipur through a modern two-lane highway with hard shoulders and major bridges. However, despite years of construction activity, commuters say the road remains far from the standards promised under the project.
According to data available on the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (NHIDCL) website, several key packages of NH-4 are still under construction in 2026. The crucial Middle Strait Creek Bridge project, connecting South Andaman and Baratang, awarded in 2024 at a cost of about Rs. 372 crore, has recorded only around 13 percent physical progress and is now targeted for completion by December 2026, which looks impossible. Other stretches between Middle Strait, Kadamtala and Rangat are also under construction with completion deadlines extending into 2026.
Islanders point out that while some portions are officially shown as completed, the ground reality tells a different story. Large stretches suffer from potholes, damaged surfaces and missing top layers of blacktopping. In many places, repairs carried out after monsoon damage have allegedly resulted in uneven and wavy road surfaces, creating discomfort and safety concerns for commuters.
Residents have also questioned why certain stretches between Mayabunder and Billiground continue to function effectively as single-lane roads despite project documents mentioning intermediate or two-lane roads with hard shoulders. In several locations, shoulders on the both side the road are either absent or poorly maintained, raising concerns over safety, especially during the rainy season and night travel.
The prolonged delays have had a direct impact on daily life. Patients travelling for medical treatment, pregnant women, school children, government employees, traders and transport operators have all endured years of difficult journeys. Frequent traffic disruptions, damaged road surfaces and ongoing construction have increased travel time and transportation costs across the Islands.
Official records show that some NH-4 packages awarded as early as 2017 and 2018 were originally scheduled for completion between 2018 and 2020. Several packages, however, faced delays, contract terminations and re-awarding of work.
The ATR modernization project was part of a larger highway development initiative announced in 2017. At that time, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had stated that NHIDCL was handling highway works worth several thousand crores in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, with a major focus on rehabilitation and upgradation of NH-4.
Many residents now argue that after nearly a decade of construction, the public deserves answers regarding repeated delays, escalating costs and unfinished infrastructure. Voices demanding an independent investigation into the execution of the project have grown stronger, with some citizens and social organizations calling for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry to determine accountability and examine whether lapses, negligence or irregularities contributed to the prolonged delays.
Commuters also point to the human cost of the unfinished highway. Over the years, numerous accidents have been reported on damaged and under-construction stretches. Residents believe responsibility must be fixed for the continued suffering of the public, who were promised a world-class highway but continue to navigate incomplete roads and missing infrastructure.
As yet another construction season progresses, islanders hope that NH-4 will finally be completed to the standards originally promised. Until then, for thousands of commuters travelling daily across the Islands, the Andaman Trunk Road remains a symbol of an infrastructure project that has taken far longer than anyone expected.
