Incomplete Digboi-Duliajan road project irks residents; Student body resorts to road blockade leading to traffic snarls

OUR CORRESPONDENT

DIGBOI: The much-anticipated road improvement project between Digboi and Duliajan has become a source of growing public outrage as unfinished construction has led to frequent accidents and continues to disrupt the daily lives of thousands here at Digboi in Tinsukia district.

The project which has now turned into a symbol of delay, negligence, and administrative apathy has also allegedly become a fatal stretch following a couple of accidents involving passenger-laden three-wheelers, between Itavata-Digboi College trijunction and Digboi High School.

“The road project remains in a half-completed state, leaving large sections riddled with potholes, dust, and debris. Frequent traffic snarls, obstruction of emergency vehicles, and safety risks for pedestrians and school children have become a regular feature,” alleged Ashok Das, the General Secretary of All Assam Scheduled Caste Students’ Union of Tinsukia district.

Das, spearheading a road blockade with the support of the local residents here on Wednesday morning, also lambasted the executing agencies and contractors holding them accountable for the delay leading to public inconvenience.

“This road is our only link to hospitals, markets, schools, and colleges. The delay is not just inconvenient — it’s dangerous with a couple of accidents injuring passengers in three wheelers,” said Lakhya Jyoti Gogoi, a student leader associated with the Chhatra Mukti Sangram Samiti.

Significantly, the Public Works Department (PWD) and the Oil India authority, held responsible for different segments of the road, have now come under sharp criticism for inadequate supervision and weak enforcement on contractors. Public protests and complaints have escalated in recent times over several incomplete road projects in the district including the Assam Mala 2.0 being executed by PWD.

Ironically, when contacted for technical specifications and related information on the most deteriorated portion of the PWD-executed 700 meter road, Arpita Dutta, the Assistant Engineer of the department engaged in the project, expressed ignorance and directed the journalists to visit the Executive office in Tinsukia.

The response of the accountable government official in sharing data related to the issue raises serious concern about the quality and standards of the ongoing project whose physical progress is reportedly very poor.

However, Binod Choubey, the Junior Engineer who attended the road block site along with other officials, told The Sentinel that an immediate mechanism would be drawn after a joint sitting with the Oil India authority which shares the responsibility for majority of the road project, leaving only 700 meters within the disposal of the PWD.

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