About APWD
Andaman Public Works Department is the prime construction organization of the Andaman & Nicobar Administration. The department was set up in 1957 with a Single Division level establishment. Shri N.N. Iyengar, Principal Engineer started functioning as Head of Department from 01/07/1959. Since then the Department has brought sea changes in the construction activities in the Islands. The department has been mainly entrusted with the work of providing Infrastructural support for the people of the Islands, other departments functioning under the A & N Administration as well as the departments functioning under Ministries and autonomous bodies. The department serves the people of Andaman and Nicobar Islands by providing drinking water supply, roads and bridges, housing etc. The APWD undertakes the construction and maintenance of residential and office accommodation for various departments under Andaman and Nicobar Administration as well as the buildings for Hospitals, Health Centers, Schools, Colleges, Libraries & Stadiums etc.
In the past 64 years of its existence, the department through the sheer acumen of the Engineers, Architects & Town Planner has successfully completed a large number of construction projects surpassing difficulties encountered on account of scarcity of materials and man power by skillful management in execution of the works by implementing development schemes during the various Five Year Plans. During the passage of time, it has made strides in the technical, methodological and material use in construction activities. The works in initial stages were carried out primarily for the people in South Andaman & the Nicobar Islands. The South Andaman was basically inhabitated by the convicts of British Era, who were freedom fighters and forced to settle here.
Later, some settlements were established in various Islands of Andaman & Nicobar by the Govt. of India for immigrants from the erstwhile East Pakistan in 1965 and from Bangladesh during 1972. Thereupon, A & N Administration furthered the activities of the department in Middle Andaman, North Andaman, Little Andaman and other smaller Islands to cater to the infrastructural needs of the settlements.
Old buildings viz. Cellular jail, Raj Niwas, Commissioner’s Bunglow, few other Bunglows (presently residence of Chief Secretary, IGP, etc.) have been maintained by carrying out necessary repairs and renovations from time to time. Historical structures at Ross Island, the then Head Quarters of British Raj in the Island, got practically destroyed during the earthquake of 1942 with a Magnitude of 8.2 on Richter scale and hence were abandoned. All the Brick structures except the Cellular Jail were severely or moderately damaged. Some of the damaged structures have been retrofitted and refurbished by APWD in order to maintain their original character.
The PWD activities in this territory are spread over many Islands and apart from man power were dependent on two essential factors namely transport and materials. The position of all three factors were always short of requirement at any point of time. The Long monsoon in Andamans usually leave a short working season of 4 to 5 months in a year and is thus a great implement to construction works.
Andaman Public Works Departments expanded from one division which existed up to 1957 into a full fledge circle with four divisions. In order to deal with the increased volume of work in the third five year plan; two more division namely North Andaman construction division and Marine works division were opened during the year 1961 with headquarters at Mayabunder and Car Nicobar respectively. In all the following six division were in function under one Principal Engineer.
  • The maintenance division, Port Blair, the permanent division (now known as Port Blair south division, PBSD)
  • Development division Port Blair (opened in 1957)
  • Construction division no. I Rangat. M/Andaman opened in Sept. 1959
  • Construction division no. II Port Blair. (opened in May 1960)
  • North Andaman construction (marine works) Mayabunder (opened in May 1961)
  • Construction division (marine works ) Car Nicobar ( opened in May 1961)
During 1979, one more circle named as Construction Circle No- I was opened with a Superintending Engineer heading it. With passage of time, the post of Chief Engineer was created during 1988 and Chief Engineer became the Head of Department. Further due to increase in volume of work, another circle was created namely Construction Circle No. II with head quarter at Rangat with a Superintending Engineer heading it. After the earthquake followed by Tsunami on 26/12/2004, the Construction Circle – II was transferred to Car Nicobar. Presently APWD is headed by a Chief Engineer having three Circles (each headed by a Superintending Engineer) and a planning unit headed by a Superintending Engineer. A Architect Unit is functioning under a Senior Architect. There are 18 working divisions under APWD.
Today APWD is a 64 years old institution and is the Islands oldest Premier Engineering Organization responsible for creating infrastructure and providing comprehensive services including planning, designing, construction and maintenance of office and residential buildings of various departments under A&N Administration, Roads and Water Supply. Its activities are spread throughout length and breadth of the Islands.
HEADS OF DEPARTMENT
PRINCIPAL ENGINEER AS HEAD OF DEPARTMENT OF ANDAMAN P.W.D STARTED FUNCTIONING FROM JULY 1959
Sl. No Name From To

1.

SHRI N.N.IYENGAR 01/07/1959 06/01/1961
2. SHRI S. N. GUPTA 06/01/1961 01/10/1964

3.

SHRI N.D. RAJAN 01/10/1964 13/05/1968

4.

SHRI J.K. VARSHANEYA 13/05/1968 26/08/1968

5.

SHRI B. RAGHUPATHY 09/09/1968 22/11/1971

6.

SHRI A.K. SINGHAL 22/11/1971 07/07/1975

7.

SHRI B.A. SATYANARAYANA 07/07/1975 15/06/1978

8.

SHRI S. GANESAN 15/06/1978 24/09/1979

9.

SHRI S.K. LAUL

24/09/1979 15/07/1982

10

SHRI S. GANESAN

15/07/1982 17/07/1985

11.

SHRI S.L. KARUNAKARAN

17/07/1985 21/08/1988
ON CREATION OF POST IN AUGUST 1988 THE CHIEF ENGINEER BECAME HEAD OF DEPARTMENT
12.

SHRI S.L. KARUNAKARAN

21/08/1988 31/12/1988

13.

SHRI S. GANESAN

31/12/1988 23/02/1993

14.

SHRI S.P. LALLA

23/02/1993 07/10/1996

15.

SHRI HAYAT SINGH (i/c)

07/10/1996 30/04/1997

16.

SHRI R.K. SINGH (i/c)

30/04/1997 05/08/1997

17.

SHRI H.S. DOGRA

05/08/1997 02/08/2000

18.

SHRI R.K. SINGH (i/c)

02/08/2000 07/06/2001

19.

SHRI NARENDER  KUMAR (i/c)

07/06/2001 05/02/2003

20

SHRI P.K. MAJUMDAR

05/02/2003 17/12/2003

21.

SHRI G.C. KHATTAR

17/12/2003 04/08/2006
22.

DR .N. RAVI

04/08/2006 21/05/2008
23.

Er. R.K. GHOSH

21/05/2008 01/09/2010
24.

DR. SATISH K. SHARMA

01/09/2010 31/01/2012
25.

Er. P.K. SINGH

31/01/2012 30/06/2015
26.

Er. Vimal Sinha

02/07/2015 31/08/2015
27.

Er. Mathura Prasad

12/11/2015 10/04/2017
28.

Er. D. Balaji (I/C)

11/04/2017 28/12/2017
29.

Brig. Amit Kathpalia

29/12/2017 04/01/2019
30.

Er. D. Balaji (I/C)

05/01/2019 30/11/2020
31.

Er. M.Sivarama Subramanian (I/C)

22/12/2020 Till date

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