HT Correspondent
SIVASAGAR, May 18: The prolonged delay in reconstructing the 18.41 km Sivasagar-Sumoni road, named after the esteemed educationist Bhuban Chandra Gogoi, has sparked agitation among various organisations in Sivasagar. This delay has caused significant inconvenience to the residents of the Nazira-Sivasagar area and the hundreds of vehicles that traverse the road daily. In response to this issue, AASU Sivasagar organised a road blockade at ONGC Tiniali, urging for expedited construction efforts by the company responsible and condemning the government’s perceived indifference to the people’s plight.
Led by AASU assistant secretary Samiran Phukan, district president Manas Pratim Baruah, and district secretary Dipankar Saikia, the protesters voiced their concerns, demanding strict monitoring by authorities and alleging the use of substandard materials in the construction. Executive Magistrate Sugata Siddhartha Goswami and executive engineer Anupam Hazarika assured the demonstrators of swift action against any negligent company officials. Despite the AASU unit submitting a memorandum to the district commissioner on April 30, they claim to have received no response from the authorities.
Related Posts:
The project, allocated to SGCCL-Shiva JV Company at a cost of Rs 121.09 crore, commenced on March 11, 2022, with a contractual end date of April 18, 2024. However, with the completion period having elapsed by over a month, less than half of the work has been completed. Concerns have been raised over the apparent lack of technical staff and essential equipment by the contractor company, including Paver Finisher Hydrostatic with Sensor Control, Pneumatic Tyred Rollers, Vibratory Rollers, Motor Grader, and Bitumen Emulsion Pressure Distributor. Additionally, the footpath cum drainage works along the B.C. road have been criticised for their haphazard execution.
Moreover, the incomplete minor bridge near Hanchora and the controversial removal of the rotary at Station Chariali by vested interests have further compounded the frustrations of the citizens, detracting from their longstanding aspiration for a rotary junction.
