Guwahati: The main road in the Sundarbari area in Jalukbari, which leads to five prominent educational institutes of the northeastern region, has long been dilapidated and crying for restoration for the last several years.
Commuters, including thousands of students of Assam Engineering College, Assam Science and Technology University, Government Ayurvedic College Hospital, Gauhati University and Tata Institute of Social Sciences, traversing through the road have a harrowing time.
The 600-metre stretch of the road from the substation of the Assam Power Distribution Corporation Limited to the engineering college is riddled with potholes.
A research scholar from Gauhati University, Manab Jyoti Kalia, said, “Every day, students of five institutes take the road but the authorities concerned have turned a blind eye to its pathetic condition. Thousands of students are risking their lives by travelling on the road. The buses of the Engineering College and Gauhati University also pass through this road. The bumpy rides on the pothole-riddled road have become a nightmare for the students.”
A resident of the area, Prabin Barman, said the road has not been repaired in several years after it was constructed. “The road was constructed eight years ago. Apart from a few temporary restorations during some ministers’ visits to the engineering college, the road has not been repaired even once since then. Due to the lack of restoration, the concrete layer has been washed away leaving the roads with full of potholes. During the rainy season, the potholes get clogged with stormwater and water spilling from the drains, giving huge problems to the commuters.”
Barman further said the vegetable vendors of the area also dump rotten vegetables in the drains, which has clogged the drains and the water is overflowing on the roads. “When it rains, the drains overflow and flood the road. This worsens the condition of the road. Moreover, vendors encroaching the footpath make it impossible for the pedestrians to walk,” he added.
Meanwhile, the executive engineer of PWD’s Guwahati west division, Bhaben Sarma, said construction work for the road has already been sanctioned and handed over to a contractor.
“Two months ago, a contractor was given the responsibility to repair the road. However, the work has not progressed significantly because of the bad weather. Hopefully, it will be completed by January. The construction of the drainage system beside the road has already been started. After its completion, the road will be repaired,” Sarma added.
Commuters, including thousands of students of Assam Engineering College, Assam Science and Technology University, Government Ayurvedic College Hospital, Gauhati University and Tata Institute of Social Sciences, traversing through the road have a harrowing time.
The 600-metre stretch of the road from the substation of the Assam Power Distribution Corporation Limited to the engineering college is riddled with potholes.
A research scholar from Gauhati University, Manab Jyoti Kalia, said, “Every day, students of five institutes take the road but the authorities concerned have turned a blind eye to its pathetic condition. Thousands of students are risking their lives by travelling on the road. The buses of the Engineering College and Gauhati University also pass through this road. The bumpy rides on the pothole-riddled road have become a nightmare for the students.”
A resident of the area, Prabin Barman, said the road has not been repaired in several years after it was constructed. “The road was constructed eight years ago. Apart from a few temporary restorations during some ministers’ visits to the engineering college, the road has not been repaired even once since then. Due to the lack of restoration, the concrete layer has been washed away leaving the roads with full of potholes. During the rainy season, the potholes get clogged with stormwater and water spilling from the drains, giving huge problems to the commuters.”
Barman further said the vegetable vendors of the area also dump rotten vegetables in the drains, which has clogged the drains and the water is overflowing on the roads. “When it rains, the drains overflow and flood the road. This worsens the condition of the road. Moreover, vendors encroaching the footpath make it impossible for the pedestrians to walk,” he added.
Meanwhile, the executive engineer of PWD’s Guwahati west division, Bhaben Sarma, said construction work for the road has already been sanctioned and handed over to a contractor.
“Two months ago, a contractor was given the responsibility to repair the road. However, the work has not progressed significantly because of the bad weather. Hopefully, it will be completed by January. The construction of the drainage system beside the road has already been started. After its completion, the road will be repaired,” Sarma added.
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