Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 09 July 2025
In a major step towards improving rural connectivity in North Andaman, the first-ever State Transport Bus Service to the remote villages of Ganesh Nagar and Shantinagar in Diglipur Tehsil was officially inaugurated on Tuesday. The inaugural run of the service was flagged off by Mr. Kamaleshwar Rao S, IAS, Assistant Commissioner of Diglipur, in the presence of the Pramukh of Panchayat Samiti, local PRI members, and enthusiastic residents.
Ganesh Nagar and Shantinagar, which were declared de-reserved blocks back in 2002, had long remained disconnected due to the absence of proper roads and public transport. For over two decades, this lack of connectivity posed significant challenges to the villagers, especially for students traveling nearly 40 km daily to attend higher secondary schools in Diglipur.
The turning point came during a high-level meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary of the A&N Administration on 27th June 2025, where the issue was strongly raised by the Pradhan of Gram Panchayat Gandhinagar. Recognizing the urgency, the Administration responded swiftly, leading to the launch of the new bus service within a short timeframe.
Addressing the gathering at the launch, Assistant Commissioner Kamaleshwar Rao commended the coordinated efforts of the departments involved and reaffirmed the Administration’s commitment to inclusive and equitable development. “This bus service will act as a lifeline for the school-going children from these villages, especially during the harsh monsoon season,” he said.
Local residents welcomed the development with gratitude, calling it a long-overdue fulfilment of a critical need. Apart from enabling regular school attendance, the bus service is expected to improve access to markets, healthcare, and government services located at the sub-divisional headquarters.
The new initiative marks a significant milestone in the Administration’s efforts to bridge rural-urban divides and improve quality of life in remote areas of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
