Sri Vijaya Puram, Oct. 13: Persistent traffic congestion between Dairy Farm and Garacharma is prompting demands for major road infrastructure upgrades, with Congress leader TSG Bhasker urging the Lieutenant Governor to consider a flyover, widen existing roads and improve alternative connections to ease movement along the busy corridor.
In a letter dated October 12, Bhasker, chairman of the Campaign Committee of the Andaman and Nicobar Territorial Congress Committee (ANTCC), highlighted the difficulties faced by daily commuters, residents, schoolchildren and emergency medical services. He proposed constructing a flyover from VIP Road towards Garacharma wherever technically feasible, widening roads and developing alternative connecting routes to Bathu Basti and Garacharma.
Bhasker also flagged congestion near the airport exit at Lamba Line, where vehicles leaving the airport frequently create bottlenecks on the main road. He called for coordination with the Airports Authority of India and suitable road-widening measures in the airport area to improve traffic flow.
Emergency access formed a central part of his appeal, given the presence of the District Hospital at Garacharma. Bhasker warned that traffic delays could obstruct ambulances transporting critically ill patients and requested the removal of existing road dividers along the affected stretch until authorities put a suitable alternative arrangement in place.
The letter also highlighted congestion around schools located along the corridor, particularly during opening and closing hours, when queues inconvenience students, parents and office-goers. To address these problems, Bhasker sought action against unauthorised parking by cars and two-wheelers, removal of roadside encroachments, regulation of hawkers and prompt repairs to potholes and damaged road surfaces.
His proposals combine longer-term infrastructure changes with measures intended to address immediate obstructions. The requested flyover and additional road connections would require technical feasibility assessments, while the other demands focus on road capacity, roadside activity and access for emergency vehicles.
Bhasker cited road-widening work carried out during the tenure of former Lieutenant Governor Vakkom Purushothaman between 1993 and 1996. He argued that the existing infrastructure now requires an upgrade after nearly three decades of growth in the number of vehicles.
The letter places the focus on whether the corridor’s road network can accommodate present-day traffic while maintaining access to schools, residential areas, the airport and the district hospital. Bhasker has asked the Lieutenant Governor to initiate measures to address the congestion and its impact on road users.
