Dilapidated Roads in Sonitpur Add to the Woes of People

 Sambhu Boro

TEZPUR, July 14:

The common people who voted for the BJP in the last Assembly elections with the expectation of getting good governance, witness a change in society and all-round development in the State, are now extremely disappointed on that score. With only about seven months left for the completion of the five-year regime of the BJP, most of the rural people under the nine LACs in the district feel that developmental activities are still a far cry in these areas.

 As road communication is a basic need for the rural people, they had placed their demands before the competent authorities and their respective representatives soon after they came to power in the last Assembly elections held in 2016. However, four years have elapsed, but there has been no notable development. Of the 9 LACs in the district, people in Barchala and Rangapara LAcs are the major sufferers.

They expected that the unfulfilled assurance of developmental works during the 15 years of Congress regime would surely be carried out during the BJP rule in line with the much-hyped slogan ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’. But, road development has till date remained a false commitment for the people of many areas in the district.

In Rangapara constituency, most of the rural roads are in a deplorable condition. Besides, a number of roads in the constituency, the Barjuli-Khelmati road is in a most deplorable condition where knee-deep potholes have been created due to the lack of timely maintenance. Meanwhile, people of Phulaguri-Khamukia area under Phulaguri Panchayat have alleged that though an allocation of over Rs 3 crore was sanctioned for the reconstruction of this stretch of road, the concerned construction company is yet to start work at an adequate pace.

Similarly, the Kolakuchi-Sagoli Ahot Tal road via Khelmati and Bandarmari that connects the people of the greater area in Barchala LAC with the NH-15, has also many massive potholes. The Bandarmari-Niraiati road via Purani Ghatwa and Tamulbari which is a vital communication route for the people to Tumuki Medical College is also in a very bad shape.

The Assistant Executive Engineer, Biswajyoti Bora and SDO, Wazed Ali of Barchala Territorial Road Subdivision, under Barchala-Dhekiajuli Territorial Road Division, revealed that an allocation of Rs 327.843 lakh was sanctioned last year (2019) for the repairing/reconstruction of Bindukuri-Bandarmari Road (Ghogra TE to Tumuki Road measuring 4.8 km), Ghogra TE to Tumuki Road (Tumuki to Tamulbari Road measuring 2.5 km), Gundurabill to Bahbari Road (Singa Chuburi to Ghogra RCC bridge via Bahbari Chariali measuring 3 km), Hatipukhuri to Erasuti Jangal Road (measuring 1.7 km), Barchala Phatasimolu Road measuring 1.7 km and Bhalukdhora to Bogoribari Road measuring 2 km and work was allotted to a contractor Surya Das but apart from completing the work of setting up a hume pipe near Bahbari area, no work has even started till now. People of these areas said that the condition of these roads is worsening day by day due to the lack of timely repairs. The two officials said that due to negligence towards the work, not even a single rupee has been released to the contractor till date. A local ABSU leader Nabajyoti Boro has urged MLA Ganesh Limbu and the department concerned to take necessary action against the contractor.

Officially it has been revealed that along with other sanctioned roads in Dhekiajuli LAC, 13 roads sanctioned in the name of the 1942 Quit India Movement martyrs, are almost complete. In the meantime, in Tezpur LAC though crores of rupees have been allotted for roads and other developmental works, many roads are lying in a dilapidated condition. In Tezpur town, the Lachit Chowk to Ex-Police Line road touching Kalaguru Bishnu Prashad Rabha’s residence is in a bad shape with many big potholes, but it is yet to attract the attention of the local authorities and the local MLA. Moreover, the Lachit Chowk-Dulabari road connecting NH 37 (A) via Tezpur Radio Centre is also in a very bad shape, resulting in many fatal accidents