Tarun Karthick
Campbell Bay, 10 September 2022
State Highway-2 (North-South Road) which connects Campbell Bay Headquarter area to the southernmost settlement at Shastri Nagar is in a very pathetic state. The 35 Km long road is filled with several thousand potholes.
The residents of Great Nicobar are facing a lot of problems due to the pathetic condition of the road. The vehicles of regular commuters often develop serious mechanical problems. Even the buses of the STS Department regularly breaks down on the North-South Road due to its pathetic condition.
Several minor accidents have also been reported in the past months due to the bad condition of the road. If the road is not repaired immediately some major accident may occur, which may result in serious injury or loss of life.
Mr. E S Rajesh, Pramukh, Panchayat Samiti, Campbell Bay recently in July 2022 wrote to the Hon’ble Lt. Governor, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chief Secretary, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and other higher authorities of the Islands, informing them of the condition of the road. The Pramukh had also informed the higher authorities that the residents of Great Nicobar are fed up of the bad condition of the road.
Pramukh also mentioned that the residents have planned to stop the movement of commercial vehicles plying for various departments like APWD, BRO etc. if the road repair work is not started immediately.
The general public has also been complaining about the road to various authorities but the condition of the road has only gotten worse.
Sources have informed that a protest is also brewing in Great Nicobar to press for immediate repair of SH-2.
Nicobar Times also spoke to the authorities of APWD who informed, that sanction has not been received from higher authorities for the repair and maintenance of the said road and the work for repair and maintenance can only be started once the sanction is received.
SH-2 needs immediate repairs and the higher authorities of the Andaman Public Works Department should immediately provide the required sanction for the repair of the road.