The dark, scary road…

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, Sept 20: Come sunset and the Tripura road in the city plunges into total  darkness. Not very surprising in Tarun Gogoi's 'developed Assam', one might say --- but for the fact that the area around is bang within the Dispur legislative constituency with Tripura road only a few minutes drive away from the Secretariat.

For more than a year now, streetlights on this vital road which connects Jayagar to the highway, have been defunct. There are also poles along the road without any lights, while miscreants have stolen the lightbulbs from some.

The Guwahati Municipal Corporation has turned a blind eye to the problem that is giving local residents a harrowing time.

Hundreds of trucks take the road every day, besides the heavy regular traffic.

Due to the pitch-black darkness, the road - along which there are a number of warehouses - has become a den of miscreants.

"We fear to travel on that road after sunset. There are no residential complexes along the road, making it more frightening. One can only see the light of the markets and buildings located at a distance," says Ramesh Dutta, a resident of Jayagar.

Strangely, it is learnt that the GMC has no immediate plans to restore the streetlights in the area.