Delay in Rs 121-Crore Sivasagar–Sonari Road Project Causes Prolonged Public Hardship

A CORRESPONDENT

NAZIRA: Commuters travelling along the Sivasagar–Sonari road have been facing severe hardship for nearly two years due to the extremely slow pace of construction work carried out by contractors. Despite repeated protests from locals and various organisations, the project remains far from completion.

The road, which is used daily by office-goers, school and college students, and the general public, has become a major source of inconvenience. In dry weather, the route is covered in dust, while during rains it turns muddy and dangerous, exposing the poor state of infrastructure development in the region.

The project, undertaken under the Assam Mala Scheme of the state government, involves the construction and upgrading of an 18.416-kilometre stretch from Sivasagar town to Suomoni near Garmur in Charaideo district. The contract, worth around Rs 121 crore, was initially awarded to controversial contractor Shiv Harlalka.

However, after reportedly completing less than ten per cent of the work, the contractor withdrew from the project. Later, the department assigned the work to several other contractors, but they too allegedly slowed down construction, citing non-payment of bills by the government.

As a result, the road remains incomplete even today. In several places, excavation work has been left unfinished, while some sections have only partial carpeting. Open drains and poorly maintained WBM surfaces have created large potholes, causing waterlogging after even a brief spell of rain.

With construction continuing at a very slow pace, residents fear that they may have to endure these difficulties for a long period.

Also Read: Sivasagar: All Assam Students' Union (AASU) demands repair of Assam Trunk Road