Trinath & Sarthak Kanjilall
Port Blair, July 22: On one hand, the residents of South Andaman and some parts of Middle Andaman are admiring the road work done by the contractors of National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation, on the other hand, the some residents of Middle Andaman are raising serious questions over alleged poor quality road construction works over 24 KM long stretch from Shri Sai Baba Mandir (Rangat) to Throratang Bridge (24 KM), in Middle Andaman region.
The residents of the region are demanding an inquiry against the concerned contractor of NHIDCL as they allege that the road work was not done as per the standards as a result of which the road has got damaged in just 04-05 months after construction. In many places the upper layer of the road has been severely damaged and in other parts, as per public, the quality or road is as bad as it was before ATR up-gradation works.
Not only this, the residents even alleged that in the 24-kilometer stretch there are around 30 culverts, which are several decades old but those culverts were not properly repaired or replaced with new one.
Talking to Andaman Sheekha, Mr. Dipankar Mistry, Adhayaksh, North and Middle Andaman Zilla Parishad said that he always had a doubt in the quality of road work done by the aforesaid contractor and hence, long back he has asked the then-District Commissioner, North and Middle Andaman, Mr. Awanish Kumar to ask the NHIDCL contractor to give specifications, “I am yet awaiting to receive the specifications,” Mr. Dipankar added.
Residents smell a rat in the entire deal of the contractor with the NHIDCL and hence, they are now demanding an inquiry into it by the Anti-Corruption unit of Andaman or CBI unit of A & N Islands.
Although, due to the alleged bad road work by the contractor, the daily commuters of the stretch are going through a really hard time. Hopefully, the concerned authorities take early action against the contractor and ask them to reconstruct the stretch, as per standard of NHIDCL, immediately.
