A CORRESPONDENT
BOKAKHAT: A survey is currently underway to upgrade National Highway No. 37 from Numaligarh to Kaliabor into a four-lane highway. At the very starting point of this stretch lies the historic Numaligarh Fort. As part of the survey, the portion of the ancient fort located in front of Numaligarh Higher Secondary School along the national highway has been included, making it almost certain that the four-lane road will engulf this historic structure.
Sanjeev Sharma, Executive Member of the Central Committee of the All Assam Nationalist Youth and Students' Council, told The Sentinel that under no circumstances should excavation work be allowed at the fort site. Due to a lack of preservation, a large part of this historic fort has already disappeared. Concerned citizens have alleged that if the remaining intact portion is consumed by the four-lane highway, a valuable historical heritage will be lost.
The conscious section of society has called upon all concerned parties to come forward and raise their voices for the protection of the fort. It has also been reported that the entrance gate of Numaligarh Higher Secondary School may be demolished along with the fort. Meanwhile, the deployment of traffic police at the busy junction connecting National Highways 37 and 39 at Numaligarh has become an urgent necessity.
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