Vikramaditya
Port Blair, Nov 01: A looming threat of major damage to the arterial road section in front of the old Sapna Theatre has once again ignited concerns among the residents of New Pahar Gaon. This particular stretch, positioned infornt of the old Sapna Theatre, faces a renewed landslide threat, raising fears of a possible disaster in the making.
Nearly six years ago, the same area had suffered a catastrophic collapse, which led to the closure of the vital arterial road connecting old Sapna Theatre and the Shiva Temple of New Pahar Gaon. To exacerbate the situation, the sole road linking the entire New Pahar Gaon with Bhatubasti was also closed for nearly six months to facilitate the much-needed repairs to the damaged section. This unforeseen interruption resulted in significant hardships for the local residents.
Subsequently, the construction of a retaining wall within the airport area facilitated the reopening of the road. However, after nearly six years, the same ominous threat has re-emerged, with noticeable signs of significant land sliding observed in the area.
Residents of New Pahargaon told Andaman Sheekha Daily that this menace not only endangers a portion of the old Sapna Theatre building and its perimeter fencing but also poses a severe risk to a specific section of the airport fencing. Many believe that the cumulative impact of this instability could potentially result in the erosion of the entire area inside the airport campus during heavy rainfall if immediate action is not taken.
A road segment, spanning nearly ten meters, has already subsided to an extent that it poses a constant danger to vehicles navigating the area. “Urgent intervention is required, and the local administration must engage with the Airport Authority of India and the contractors operating within the airport campus to prevent this imminent landslide threat,” said a shopkeeper of New Pahargaon area.
Failure to address this issue promptly could lead to the closure of this road once again, plunging the entire population of New Pahar Gaon into a state of disarray. In light of these grave concerns, the residents of New Pahar Gaon are urgently appealing to the Chief Secretary to investigate the matter and take immediate corrective measures before disaster strikes. Till any preventive measure is taken, the welfare of the community and the safety of this vital arterial road hang in the balance.
