Will Sonowal bring smile on faces of residents in Gogoi's backyard?

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, May 15: All is not well with Udayan gar – Koidhora’s backyard — in the city. Who could imagine such a road and area in the backyard of the residence of former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi?

People have been residing there since 1984 when Late Hiteswar Saikia was the Chief Minister of the State. After around two terms of the AGP separated by one of the Congress, Tarun Gogoi came as the Chief Minister in 2001 and continued for 15 years at a stretch. Gogoi opted to Koidhora as his official residence, but never felt to develop its backyard, the local people allege.

Water from Koidhora (the hill) spells doom for the residents of Udayan gar. When it rains water from the hill floods the entire area. The kutcha road there is submerged and the water enters the houses. This is a free flow of water. When the situation was out of control, a guard wall was erected to prevent waters from the hill from overflowing the area. However, during his three consecutive tenures the former Chief Minister never spent a single penny to develop the road – Udayan gar subway 2 – in his backyard, the local people allege. The stark contrast is that Udayan gar subway 1 has been highly developed, maybe because the former chief minister uses it. As though to cap it all, off late, the guard wall of the hill has been washed away. Now even a brief spell of rains floods the entire area, let alone the kutcha road. The problem is not only from rainwater. The condition is more than pathetic because of the filths and garbage being carried by the rainwater. The filths include polythene begs and solid wastes, etc. As there is no arrangement from the GMC to heap garbage in the area, the local people heap them at a spot fenced with bamboo in the nearby bushes. The residents burn the garbage when it dries up so as to get rid of stink.

The area is being inhabited by around 300 families who have all along been demanding construction of the road. They say that when elections are around, leaders of various political parties flock them with assurances. They, however, do the vanishing act as soon as the polling is over. They now look at the present dispensation at Dispur, hoping against hopes. Will Chief Minister Sarbanda Sonowal bring smiles on the faces of residents in Tarun Gogoi’s backyard? It is matter to wait and watch.