Rabindranath Biswas
Sri Vijaya Puram, Oct 21: The commuting woes of the residents of T.V. Kullam and Dharmapur villages coming under Gram Panchayat Shivapuam owing to the damaged and closed Bailey bridge at T.V. Kullam have been plaguing them for the last couple of years.
According to information, the Bailey bridge was constructed by APWD during the year 2012 and it is the lifeline for the villagers of TV Kullam under this Gram Panchayat. Talking to Andaman Sheekha Daily, Shri Venkateswar Rao, Pradhan, Gram Panchayat Shivapuam said that there was a demand from the residents of this area to build a bridge over Betapur Nallah since settlement.
However, the said Bailey bridge after getting severely damaged has been lying closed in state for more than 5 yrs (since 2019), the Pradhan said. The bridge was closed by APWD by welding pipes and bars across the entrance to prevent the entry of all kinds of vehicles and owing to which the residents of these villages have to take a long detour through C.F.O Nallah Bridge to transport their agricultural products and for medical emergency apart from the daily necessities, which is causing untold sufferings to the residents in the region, the Pradhan denounced.
The villagers of T.V.Kullam and Dharmapur staged protest to fulfill their long pending demand and also declared to boycott the Lok Sabha election 2024, the Pradhan said. In response, the Assistant Commissioner, Rangat, Middie Andaman held a meeting on 26.02.2024 near T.V. Kullam bridge and interacted with the villagers and assured to take necessary steps for construction of the said bailey bridge. But, unfortunately no concrete step has been taken to alleviate the problem of the villagers, the Pradhan rued.
In his recent visit to the area, the A & N Islands’ lone MP Shri Bishnupada Ray also showed much concern over the plight of the residents of this area thrown by the damaged Bailey bridge and he has written a letter addressed to the Honourable Prime Minister of India, Honourable Home Minister of India and the Honourable Lt. Governor, A & N Islands, Sri Vijaya Puram, the Pradhan further said. In his letter the Hounable MP reportedly raised the issue of the damaged bridge and its consequent hardships for the residents in this area. The Honourable MP reportedly said that this bridge is the only direct route for the villagers, and its closure has forced them to take alternate and much longer routes, leading to significant hardship, time wastage and frustration. Despite repeated representations and appeals by the villagers and elected representatives such as the Pradhan of Shivapuram followed by protest by the residents, no action has been taken by the administration to reconstruct the bridge, leaving the villagers to fend for themselves for nearly 06 years, the letter read. Furthermore, even after making several correspondences and holding protests by the villagers, neither this work has been included in the Annual Plan nor has any estimate for getting sanction been prepared so far, the Honourable MP reportedly said in his letter. As such, the villagers are deeply disheartened and feel that their genuine concerns are being ignored. The villagers expressed their disappointment over how their pleas for such a crucial infrastructure project have gone unheard and why the A & N Administration is turning a blind eye to their welfare and needs, the MP said. Making an earnest request to the Honourable Prime Minister of India for his intervention in the matter, the honourable MP has appealed to Shri Narendra Modi to issue directions to the A & N Administration for the immediate reconstruction of the T.V. Kullam bridge either in RCC or any suitable mode so the the residents of this region don’t suffer any longer, the MP’s letter further read.
