Staff Correspondent
Port Blair, Feb 13: A press release issued by Andaman and Nicobar Administration dated 22nd July 2014 had triggered a new hope in the heart of Islanders, which said that works on bridges at Middle Strait and Humphry Strait to start by January 2015 and the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Shipping, Mr. Nitin Gadkari has agreed to lay foundation stone for these two bridges during January 2015.
The Press Release had said that “the works on bridges at Middle Strait and Humphry Strait shall commence by January 2015. In this connection, a meeting was held with the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Shipping, Shri Nitin Gadkari, in New Delhi, on July 18, 2014, regarding early commencement of two bridges at Middle Strait and Humphry Strait. Shri Gadkari has agreed to lay foundation stone for these two bridges during January 2015.”
Sadly according to the itinerary released by PIB about the Minister’s present visit, there is no such mention of laying foundation stone for the two crucial bridges of ATR.
If constructed, Middle Strait and Humphry Strait bridges will complete the Andaman Trunk Road, which presently has two breaks at Middle Strait and Humphry Strait, where vehicles and public have to take a vehicle-ferry. Andaman Trunk Road, which connects Port Blair with North and Middle Andaman is the life line of A and N Islands and since last several decades people have been demanding for these two bridges.
People of North and Middle Andaman have expressed deep disappointment in this regard.
However the good news is Union Minister Nitin Gadkari will address a Public Meeting at Bambooflat and Bridge or Tunnel between Bambooflat and Chatham will be his main topic.
Lets see how the things are materialising in future. As thousands of daily commuters of Chatham -Bambooflat has been eagerly waiting for the kind of the things for the last many decades.
Well said. The bridge when materialise would change the fate of the residents of entire Andaman group of Islands.
whenever we go to andman we avoid visiting Diglipur as it comsume lot of time. Bridges will certainly boom tourism. Currently tourists are limited to Havelock, Ross and Neil islands.