Baratang: A powerful spell of torrential rain brought life to a grinding halt in Middle Andaman on Saturday, completely submerging a crucial culvert near the forest nursery area in Baratang.
The sudden deluge forced a total shutdown of traffic on National Highway 4 (NH4), popularly known as the Andaman Trunk Road, stranded commuters for several agonizing hours.
The disruption began around 10:00 AM as floodwaters rapidly breached the low-lying bridge structure. Within minutes, endless queues of passenger vehicles, buses, and transport trucks formed on both sides of the crossing.
Local ground reports highlighted severe hardships for those caught in the gridlock.
With vehicles stranded in the remote stretch for hours, families—particularly women, children, and elderly travelers—were left with virtually no access to basic amenities or shelter from the elements.
A Recurring Nightmare for Commuters: According to residents, this specific bottleneck is an annual crisis. Every monsoon season, even a brief spell of intense rainfall is enough to overflow the local drainage paths and submerge the aging culvert, effectively disconnecting North and Middle Andaman from the rest of the islands.
While relief may eventually be on the horizon, locals will have to wait out the current season. The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) is actively constructing a new, elevated bridge at the site. However, until that project crosses the finish line, travelers on NH4 remain entirely at the mercy of the weather.
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