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Accord top priority to road repair
The news article 'Roads need urgent repair', published in your esteemed daily on September 18, has drawn our attention. Guwahati's pothole-ridden roads continue to reveal their cracks and failures every time it rains. Every spell of heavy rain floods roads and slows down traffic due to potholes, exposing the city's fragile road infrastructure once again. Barring the GS Road and RG Baruah Road, many other crumbling roads and damaged stretches with deep potholes are in the state of disrepair across the city.
The VIP road is one such major road in the city. However, the road's poor condition makes many hesitant to use it. Bad roads have not only posed a serious risk to commuters, especially two-wheeler riders, but they also turn daily commuting into a dangerous experience for city dwellers. In many places potholes have formed repeatedly despite earlier repair work, triggering questions over the quality and durability of road construction. For many commuters, particularly motorists and two-wheeler riders, navigating the city has become a cautious and uncertain endeavour.
In several localities, roads that appeared manageable before the rains have now deteriorated rapidly. Everyone questions why roads continue to deteriorate so quickly despite repeated repair work and public expenditure. The office-goers, students and delivery workers spend a long time on the road every day. Sadly, their condition has become physically exhausting and mentally stressful. The human cost of damaged roads is becoming increasingly visible. It is true that rainfall significantly damages bitumen roads when water accumulates. In areas where blocks have been installed, several stretches have broken patches due to projects under various departments. It is a fact that once rainwater seeps into cracks, it weakens the base layer beneath the surface, eventually causing potholes and road collapse. As the monsoon is about to end, the need now is for proper planning, monitoring, and coordination between the PWD and other infrastructure agencies for durable road repair work in the city. Good roads create access to essential services, improving overall quality of life. The CM's promise to repair the city's roads before the Durga Puja has instilled hope in the residents, who anticipate safe daily travel.
Iqbal Saikia,
Guwahati
A day of unbearable loss
September 19, 2025 — a haunting, dreamlike day that turned into a day of unbearable loss. No one ever imagined that Zubeen Garg, the voice so deeply woven into our lives, would suddenly leave us.
But was Zubeen Garg merely a singer?
Far beyond his melodious voice and timeless songs, Zubeen touched countless hearts through his humanity, compassion, courage and social consciousness. He stood above the barriers of caste, creed, religion and wealth, embracing people with an extraordinary sense of human solidarity.
He was always beside the poor, the helpless and the distressed—often becoming their voice and their strength. A passionate lover of nature, a socially conscious citizen and an uncompromising voice against injustice, hypocrisy, superstition and regressive social customs, Zubeen never hesitated to question what others feared to challenge. In that sense, Zubeen Garg was not merely a multifaceted artist; he was a lifelong social reformer, a fearless voice for humanity, and a cultural soul deeply intertwined with the life of Assam.
He believed in loving people beyond every social boundary. Though he proudly identified himself as a socialist and revolutionary, he never distanced himself from ordinary, working people. Despite reaching extraordinary heights of fame, he chose simplicity over celebrity glamour and remained deeply rooted in the soil and soul of his people.
Perhaps that is why Zubeen is no longer merely the artist of our hearts—he has become a heartbeat within countless hearts, transcending generations. You may be gone, Zubeen da, but your humanity, your music and your spirit will continue to live among us.
Joi Zubeen da. We miss you.
Kaushik Deka,
Dighirpar, Darrang