Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 04 December 2025
In a major development for road infrastructure in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Hon’ble Member of Parliament Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray has secured an in-principle approval of ₹123.92 crore under the Central Road Infrastructure Fund (CRIF) from Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Mr. Nitin Gadkari.
The approval follows a meeting between the MP and the Union Minister in New Delhi, during which Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray urged the Ministry to sanction Phase-II proposals submitted by the UT Administration. The proposal includes 41 road development projects amounting to ₹123.92 crore.
During the meeting, Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray expressed his gratitude to Mr. Nitin Gadkari for his continued support to the geographically remote island territory, which relies heavily on CRIF assistance due to limited local financial resources. He also acknowledged the earlier sanction of ₹49.99 crore for 90 works under Phase-I, approved on 28 August 2025 — fulfilling a commitment made by the Minister during his visit to the Islands on 28 December 2024.
The MP highlighted the challenges faced by the UT Administration in maintaining and developing road infrastructure due to severe budget constraints under capital funds. He requested enhanced CRIF allocation or relaxation in ceilings for the Islands, citing their remoteness, backwardness and dependence on central support.
Following the detailed briefing, Mr. Nitin Gadkari granted immediate in-principle approval for the Phase-II proposal and directed ministry officials to initiate further procedures.
Calling it a “major relief” for the Islands, Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray stated that the approval marks a significant step toward strengthening connectivity and improving public infrastructure across the Union Territory. “This decision will greatly benefit the people of Andaman & Nicobar Islands and accelerate long-pending development of essential road networks,” he said.
