A CORRESPONDENT
BOKO: The much-anticipated expansion of National Highway 17, stretching from Guwahati to Bilasipara, has turned into a nightmare for residents of Boko. While the project was launched under the Bharatmala Pariyojana scheme to boost connectivity and economic activity, slow progress and poor execution have left the local population grappling with dust, pollution, and daily hardships.
The 200-km highway is being expanded under the supervision of the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL). Officials inspected the site in June 2025, but residents allege that the pace of work remains lethargic. The four-lane expansion, executed on an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) basis, was expected to transform the region’s infrastructure. Instead, it has brought health hazards and inconvenience.
Environmental concerns have also surfaced, with nearly 20,000 trees already felled along the highway. Dust pollution has worsened air quality, and environmentalists fear long-term ecological damage.
Local organizations have urged NHIDCL to immediately pave the temporary service roads to ease vehicular movement.
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