Mayabunder, April 28: Residents of Swadesh Nagar Gram Panchayat under Mayabunder in North and Middle Andaman continue to face severe hardship due to long-pending rural infrastructure projects that remain unexecuted despite repeated administrative follow-ups over several years.
Under the leadership of Pradhan Debabrata Das, the Panchayat has persistently raised demands for basic infrastructure development since assuming office. Over the past four years, efforts have been made through official correspondence, field visits, Gram Sabha meetings, District Planning Committee discussions, induction training programmes, conferences, and repeated engagement with concerned departments. However, several key works remain incomplete, leaving Swadesh Nagaris struggling with poor connectivity and deteriorating rural roads.
Among the unresolved projects is the construction of a rural road with an RCC culvert connecting Shantipur rural road to the steel footbridge link to ATR/NH4 in front of the APWD office under NACD, APWD, SD-III. Another major pending work is the construction of an RCC bridge for vehicular movement replacing the existing narrow GI footbridge between Swadesh Nagar and Shantipur.
The list of stalled infrastructure also includes repair and maintenance of multiple rural roads across wards in Swadesh Nagar and Shantipur. These include the stretch from NH4 near Bhabaranjan Halder’s house to Burma Kona in Ward No. 3, and the road from the electric transformer near Manoranjan Mondal’s house to Parimal Mondal’s residence in Ward No. 4.
Other long-pending works include construction of a rural road from Dilip Mistry’s house to the Anganwadi Centre in Shantipur Ward No. 1, and another connecting Jugal Xalxo’s house to Joseph Bage’s house in Duke Nagar Ward No. 2. A further proposal involves construction of a rural road from ATR/NH4 near Pentecostal Church to the graveyard in Swadesh Nagar Ward No. 2.
Additional maintenance works remain pending on the stretch from Nishi Kanta Mohali’s house to Kanailal Das’s house in Shantipur Ward No. 1, and from TV Kulam to Billiground via Shantipur.
The existing footbridge between Shantipur and Swadesh Nagar remains a critical concern. The structure, currently in a weakened and unsafe condition, is largely unusable for regular transportation. It is primarily used only by livestock handlers such as goatherds and cowherds, while motorised vehicles are unable to cross due to safety risks. The design and condition of the bridge do not support movement of autos, vans, tractors, cargo vehicles, or emergency services, effectively restricting connectivity between the two villages.
Residents have pointed out that the absence of a functional bridge has further isolated communities, especially during emergencies, underscoring the urgent need for a durable replacement that supports vehicular traffic.
Local representatives have stated that these roads and bridges have remained in extremely poor condition for over two decades, severely affecting daily movement, access to services, and overall rural life. The Panchayat has pointed to limited grant-in-aid allocations and inadequate own-source revenue as major constraints in addressing the scale of infrastructure needs.
The situation has raised concerns among residents, who continue to rely on damaged and unsafe roads despite repeated administrative representations. Questions are being raised at the grassroots level over the pace of rural infrastructure development, particularly in remote island regions where connectivity remains critical.
The demand from Swadesh Nagar Panchayat underscores the urgency for prioritising long-pending infrastructure works to ensure basic mobility and address long-standing public grievances in Mayabunder region.
