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.
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Two people killed as poultry vehicle rams into parked truck in Belagavi
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): Two people were killed, and another was severely injured after a goods vehicle transporting poultry birds allegedly rammed into a stationary truck on a national highway in Belagavi in the early hours of Tuesday, police said.
The deceased have been identified as Wasim (28) and Mubarak (22), both natives of Shivamogga district, they said.
The driver of the vehicle, Basavaraj Eerappa Hanchinamani (37), suffered critical injuries and has been admitted to a hospital, police said.
According to police, the accident occurred when the driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle, allegedly due to drowsiness, and crashed into a truck parked along the highway.
The goods vehicle was en route from Kolhapur to Sorab in Shivamogga district, carrying poultry. Several chickens were also killed in the impact, a senior police officer said.
Police personnel from the Hirebagewadi Police Station visited the spot and conducted an inspection.
Injured people and the bodies of the deceased were shifted to a hospital, police added.
