ANTCC Campaign Committee chairman TSG Bhasker lodges complaint over ‘missing’ NH-4 in Andaman Island
Port Blair: In a strange turn of events, the Chairman of the Campaign Committee of the Andaman and Nicobar Territorial Congress Committee (ANTCC), TSG Bhasker, has lodged complaints at Baratang and Rangat police stations, alleging that a major portion of National Highway-4 (NH-4), the main road connecting the Middle and North Andaman regions, has “gone missing.”
The NH-4 is a vital lifeline for island residents, facilitating the transport of goods, daily commuting, and access to emergency medical services. Bhasker urged the authorities to trace the “missing” portions of the highway and identify officials responsible for any negligence or irregularities in its construction and maintenance.
Speaking to Vartha Bharati, Bhasker said, “My NH-4 is missing. Either find NH-4 or return the ₹3,500 crore spent on it.”
He added that similar complaints will be submitted at the Kadamtala and Mayabander police stations. “The police told us that the matter falls under the local anti-corruption unit. I doubt they will register an FIR, but I have received an acknowledgement receipt for my complaint,” Bhasker said.
The Congress leader also criticised the transfer of road projects to the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), saying it has adversely affected local employment. “Handing over road construction to NHIDCL has destroyed job opportunities for local workers. If these funds had been used within our local jurisdiction, it would have boosted the local economy,” he stated.
Bhasker further alleged that two more road projects, one in Nicobar and another in Hut Bay, are being handed over to NHIDCL even though the NH-4 project remains incomplete. “This sets a dangerous precedent. Once the PWD divisions shut down, hundreds of local workers will lose their livelihood,” he warned.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Holiday turns to heartbreak: 7 years after husband's death, Thane woman loses 3 kids in road crash
_vb_35.jpeg)
Thane (PTI): "Mom, we will be back in two or three days," were the final words three siblings uttered to their mother before leaving their residence in Diva town of Thane district for a short holiday at a relative's place.
Hours later, those words returned to haunt a devastated mother as the news of their deaths in a horrific road accident on Monday morning shattered her world forever.
The siblings, Sneha Mohape (22), Manasi (20), and their brother Prathamesh (17), were among the 11 people who were killed in a head-on collision between a van packed with passengers and a cement mixer truck on a newly constructed bridge over the Ulhas River near Raite village under Kalyan taluka.
The tragedy has wiped out the entire support system of Anjana Mohape, a single mother who had been raising her children with grit and determination since her husband's death seven years ago.
Working as a domestic help, Anjana had ensured her children pursued their education, hoping they would soon stand on their own feet and lift the family out of financial hardship.
"She lived for them. After losing her husband, these three were her only reason to keep going," said Nathu Mohape, a family member.
"They were bright children with dreams of helping their mother. Now, everything is gone in an instant," said the distraught family member.
The siblings were headed to their uncle's house in Panhe village under Murbad taluka of the district to spend their college holiday.
The accident was so severe that the van was reduced to a heap of metal, leaving no room for survival for the Mohape trio.
The last rites of the three siblings will be performed in their native village, family sources said.
While local residents rushed to the spot to initiate a rescue operation, the impact had already claimed the lives of nearly a dozen passengers.
The crash has sparked fresh outrage among locals regarding heavy vehicles on the Kalyan-Ahilyanagar National Highway.
Residents alleged that lorries, mixer and dumper trucks engaged in construction work frequently violate speed limits and safety norms on the highway.
_vb_44.jpeg)
 (3)_vb_24.jpeg)