Sri Vijaya Puram, Sept 10: A convoy of vehicles was temporarily stranded at Middle Strait along the Andaman Trunk Road (ATR) on Thursday morning after a landslide and a fallen tree blocked the roadway amid adverse weather conditions.
A special service call was received at around 9:45 AM from Mrs. Sarita Sarkar, a passenger travelling in one of the convoy buses, informing the authorities that vehicles had been held up due to the obstruction.
On receiving the information, the Baratang Fire Station immediately mobilised a team to the incident site with necessary disaster management equipment, including two mechanical chain saws, a dao, crowbar and rope. The firefighters undertook the cutting, lifting and removal of the fallen tree and other debris obstructing the road. Personnel from the Forest Department also joined the operation and worked alongside the firefighters to clear the obstruction.
Following sustained efforts, the debris was completely removed and free movement of convoy vehicles in both lanes was restored, allowing stranded commuters to proceed. The timely response and efforts of the Baratang Fire Station and Forest Department personnel were appreciated by commuters and members of the local business community. No loss of life or injury was reported in the incident.
