Mayabunder, May 27 — In the remote village of TV Kullam, located deep within Middle and North Andaman, an abandoned steel bridge continues to cast a long shadow. Built in 2012 and formally closed by 2019 due to structural concerns, the TV Kullam Bridge once connected the village to neighbouring areas under the Shivapuram Gram Panchayat. Today, it stands rusted and barricaded, symbolizing six years of inaction.
Constructed by the Andaman Public Works Department (APWD) as a Bailey bridge, the structure was initially celebrated for linking communities to education, healthcare, and markets. But after experts from Guwahati found it unsafe, authorities shut it down. Steel bars were welded across the entry points to prevent use.
Since then, residents have been forced to adapt. For K. Pillai, a 58-year-old farmer, the bridge’s closure means a long detour through the CFO Nallah route. “It used to take just ten minutes for my children to reach school. Now it takes over an hour each way,” he told The Wave Andaman.
In medical emergencies, the challenges are steeper. According to a local youth volunteer active in community work, who requested anonymity, patients often have to be transported via jeep or even carried manually. “We had a situation last year where someone in my extended family couldn’t get timely help,” he said. “With proper access, maybe it would have ended differently.”
Farmers say their produce often spoils before reaching the market due to transport delays, while shopkeepers and small businesses have seen a sharp drop in footfall. One trader said women from surrounding areas now walk several kilometres just to collect groceries or attend basic health appointments.
Long Wait, Short on Action
The bridge’s closure has triggered a series of petitions and meetings over the years. In 2024, officials, including the Assistant Commissioner of Rangat and the Deputy Commissioner of North and Middle Andaman, visited the site and assured residents that steps would be taken. But the structure remains untouched.
“We’ve had visitors and promises, but no work,” said a former PRI member who was part of early delegations demanding action. “We don’t need more surveys. We need construction to begin.”
That could change. According to officials from APWD, a Kolkata-based geotechnical agency, recently began soil testing at the site near CFO Nallah. “We are awaiting the final analysis,” the Executive Engineer of North and Middle Andaman told The Wave Andaman. “Once the report is in, an estimate will be prepared and submitted for administrative approval. We are committed to restoring connectivity.”
Cautious Optimism
But after years of assurances, villagers remain sceptical. A shopkeeper near the bridge site said past announcements had yielded no visible progress. “People here are tired of symbolic gestures. They want to see real work, machines, labourers, concrete.”
The lack of access has affected more than transport. Teachers report that school attendance in some areas has dropped, and healthcare workers say vaccine delivery to remote hamlets is often delayed. A college student from the area, Reeta Pradhan, said she had to relocate to Port Blair because daily travel had become unmanageable. “It was exhausting. I felt like we were being pushed out simply because we were too hard to reach.”
More Than a Bridge
Officials say a project estimate is likely to be submitted within two months, after which the tendering process will follow. But villagers say they’ll believe it when they see work on the ground.
For the people of Kullam, the issue goes beyond one bridge. It’s about inclusion. “This bridge connected us not just to the next village, but to opportunity,” said one resident. “Its absence has made us feel like we’ve been cut off from the rest of the country.”
