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Ganeshan & John Wilbert
Baratang, October 10: Heavy traffic congestion gripped the Adazig area of Baratang Island today as multiple heavy vehicles got stranded on the muddy road surface. The incident unfolded this afternoon at around 12:15 PM, leaving hundreds of ATR commuters and local residents stranded for nearly five hours. The situation induced stress and panic among the public, particularly those traveling towards Diglipur and Mayabunder.
The gridlock was triggered by a loaded cement truck getting stuck in the loose mud, effectively blocking the road. Finally, by 5:45 PM, the road was cleared, allowing the traffic to flow again.
Compounding the issue, recent rainfall has turned the under-construction NH4 stretch into an accident-prone area. The general public has raised concerns over the unplanned work approach of NHIDCL and the lack of proper supervision, which has resulted in immense suffering for commuters.
Looking at the current condition of the NH4 stretch, it’s evident that the public, including pregnant women, senior citizens, and children, are facing significant hardships. The disrupted movement of vehicles along this route has also led to extensive traffic jams.
Previously, NHIDCL had initiated road upgrading works in the Baratang region, which involved a considerable amount of earth being deposited on the road. Unfortunately, this has become a recurring problem after every short bout of rain, inconveniencing residents and ATR commuters. The situation worsened after heavy rainfall in the area in the past couple of days, making the road exceedingly slippery and muddy.
ATR commuters are now demanding swift action from the administration to address the alleged negligent work practices of NHIDCL, which continue to plague them with daily transportation challenges.
Furthermore, the incident had a significant impact on the availability of mobile network services in the Shastri Nalllah of Adazig area, making it difficult for individuals to share information with the police in real-time.
Fortunately, someone informed the police of the situation, prompting the police officers at PS Baratang to take action immediately. Mr. Arun, in charge of NH Kadamtala, and his team worked tirelessly to clear the stuck truck from the road and perform necessary repairs to enable the smooth movement of vehicles.
The stuck truck was successfully removed at 5:30 PM, and thanks to the efforts of the police team at PS Baratang, the traffic jam was cleared. Passenger buses and trucks finally reached Nilambur Jetty at 6:30 PM and were released from the Middle Strait police checkpoint at 7:25 PM.
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