A CORRESPONDENT
DIGBOI: Residents of Amguri-Majgaon in Philobari, under Gaborunheti Gram Panchayat in the Doomdooma constituency of Assam’s Tinsukia district, are facing severe hardship as a 1.5-kilometre village road has become completely unmotorable due to prolonged neglect. The muddy stretch, connecting Amguri MV School to Bhitorongoi Missing Gaon and considered a lifeline for several villages, is now virtually impassable, even for ambulances. The situation turned tragic on Saturday morning when an ambulance became stranded on the road. The vehicle, en route to the village to fetch a deceased person from Dibrugarh Airport, could not reach the residence because of the deplorable road condition.
“We can’t even take a patient or a deceased person home. The road has turned into a muddy trench,” said one resident, describing the daily ordeal faced by commuters and villagers.
The affected area falls under the constituency of Rupesh Gowala, MLA from Doom Dooma and a Cabinet Minister in the Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma-led BJP government. Gowala currently holds the portfolios of Labour Welfare, Tea Tribes & Adivasi Welfare, and Home (Prisons, Home Guards and Civil Defence), having formally assumed charge of his ministries in December 2024 following a cabinet reshuffle.
Residents allege that despite repeated complaints, no action has been taken, and the MLA has not visited Amguri Majgaon since winning the 2021 Assembly election.
“We had already requested the local legislator to construct this road, but in vain,” said a villager from Amguri.
Subash Tamang, a social activist from the nearby Pengaree area, raised serious concerns while trying to fetch the deceased person from Dibrugarh Airport, questioning whether the body could even be safely delivered to the family’s home via the route.
“I couldn’t even reach a deceased person’s home earlier in the morning because of the deplorable condition of this muddy village road,” Tamang said. “This road is the lifeline for around 200 residents in Podum Pother and Missing Gaon, yet it remains completely neglected.”
He also alleged that Minister Gowala is active on social media but unmindful of ground-level development issues affecting his constituency. At the time of filing this report, Tamang was still transporting the deceased person, highlighting the urgency of the issue. When contacted by The Sentinel regarding the status of the road, Minister Rupesh Gowala said:
“There are several roads in the Gaborunheti Gram Panchayat, and as such I could not identify the road in question. Please share the exact location, and I will ensure the needful action is taken.”
Also Read: Guwahati Potholes Turn City Roads into Danger Zones