Connectivity: Condition of some important roads in Baksa district are turning worse from bad

Students bodies demand immediate repair of Rangiya-Gandhibari-Nagrijuli road

A CORRESPONDENT

GORESWAR: In stark contrast to the oft-repeated tall claims of all-round development by the government, the condition of some important roads in Baksa district reflect just the opposite picture. The Rangiya-Gandhibari - Nagrijuli road in Baksa district is one such example of gross negligence shown by the government towards surface connectivity in the district. This road connects Bangalipara and Guwabari via Nagrijuli covering about 30 km under Rangiya and Tamulpur Assembly constituency of Baksa district.

Due to the geographic and demographic, cultural and linguistic assimilation, people of Rangiya, Gandhibari and Nagrijuli areas have been maintaining a very cordial relation for years together. People of the areas are dependent on each other as far as education and the economy are concerned.

Due to lack of proper educational institutions, poor students of the Gandhibari and Latibari areas have to depend on Nagrijuli and Rangiya for post-HSLC courses. The national highway and Rangiya railway station is also easily accessible via this road for commuters. Thousands of people have to visit Rangiya and Nagrijuli to undertake a train journey and for business activities.

Likewise, people living in Rangiya and its adjoining localities under Rangiya and Tamulpur civil subdivision have to visit Kaurbaha, Gandhibari and Latibari areas for one reason or the other. Not just the Pub- Defeli mouza and Betna mouza in Tamupur subdivision, but a considerable section of people living in Kaurbaha mouza under Rangiya subdivision also have to travel through a portion of this road to reach different destinations.

But the deplorable condition of the Rangiya- Gandhibari- Nagrijuli road has made life miserable for the people of the eastern part of Baksa district as a whole. This important PWD road under Mushalpur division has been closed due to the potholes of the road. With the advent of the monsoon season, these potholes have been filled up by rainwater, thus making it impossible for drivers to guess the depth of the potholes. Some commuters are often seen stranded on the road.

Seeing no alternative, the tax-paying citizens have to travel by light vehicles, motorcycles and cycles. But deep potholes on the road have often become a hindrance for the drivers. Due to this, people are forced to embark on a hazardous bone-jarring journey to reach Rangiya or Nagrijuli.

Since a long time, the people of this area have been demanding reconstruction of the road to make it traffic- friendly. But the PWD has allegedly not heeded to this genuine demand of the people.

On Saturday, a two-hour road blockade was staged by Gandhibari students under the auspicious of Dakshin Defeli Anchalik unit of AJYCP, AASU and Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti at Gandhibari Chowk demanding reconstruction of the Rangiya- Gandhibari- Nagrijuli Road. They also shouted slogans against the BJP-led Assam Government as well as the Central Government for the apathy of the area. A memorandum was later submitted through the Assistant Additional Commissioner of Tamulpur civil subdivision to demand immediate steps for the reconstruction of the road.

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