Sri Vijaya Puram, June 5: Hundreds of passengers travelling along the Andaman Trunk Road (ATR) faced long delays on Thursday after convoy movement at Jirkatang was suspended due to high tide conditions, disrupting transport on both sides of the route.
The disruption began around 9 am when authorities halted convoy operations at Jirkatang-2 as rising tidal waters affected safe movement along the stretch. As a result, passengers and vehicles scheduled to travel in multiple convoy batches were left stranded for several hours awaiting clearance to proceed.
Travelers booked in the 9.30 am, 12 noon and 2.30 pm convoys were among those affected by the delay. Long queues of vehicles formed on both sides of the route as officials monitored tidal conditions and assessed the safety of the roadway.
The situation was further complicated after three trees were uprooted along the convoy route, creating additional obstacles for traffic movement.
Teams from the Forest Department and Fire Service were deployed to the affected locations and undertook clearance operations to remove the fallen trees. The obstructions were cleared to restore safe passage and prevent further delays once convoy movement resumed.
Passengers travelling through the corridor, including tourists, local residents and those commuting for official and personal purposes, were forced to remain at designated waiting points as authorities continued to monitor the situation.
Jirkatang serves as a critical transit point on the ATR, which connects South Andaman with parts of Baratang, Rangat, Mayabunder and Diglipur. Convoy movement through the stretch is regulated and operates according to a fixed schedule, making disruptions particularly challenging for commuters who often have onward travel plans.
With convoy timings affected throughout the day, several travellers reported waiting for extended periods before receiving updates regarding the resumption of movement.
Officials continued to assess ground conditions and tidal levels before allowing vehicles to proceed. Safety remained the primary consideration as authorities sought to avoid any risk to passengers and convoy vehicles.
The incident highlights the challenges posed by seasonal weather conditions in the islands, where high tides, heavy rainfall and falling trees can periodically disrupt transportation networks, particularly during the southwest monsoon season.
Normal convoy operations were expected to resume once conditions improved and the route was declared safe for movement.
