Special Correspondent
SILCHAR, Jan 22: Chief Engineer in the Union Ministry of Surface Road Transport and Highway Kamalesh Kumar who was on his way to Mizoram, had a brief stop over here on public request and was aghast to observe the deplorable condition of Silchar roads. He had a look at the improvement of the roads from Capital Travels point to Holy Cross School, a stretch of 3.5 km, being improved and upgraded by a private contractor engaged by the National Highway Division of India.
The road is being improved at an estimated cost of Rs 5 crore sanctioned by the MOSRTH. The high official was accompanied by Algapur MLA Rahul Roy who had prior information about the itinerary of Kamalesh Kumar. Local people and various socio-cultural bodies which included New Silchar Jana Jagran Mancha, Agragami Club and Nagrik Swartha Sangram Parishad also joined the official and the MLA and showed them the pitiable condition of the road which after metalling was giving away to the pressure of vehicular traffic.
The Chief Engineer was also made to have his own assessment of the poor quality of work and the questionable method of work of the drainage too for which Rs 158 crore was earmarked by the centre. Before the MLA could speak out, the socio-cultural bodies pestered the official with questions on how this kind of low quality work was being allowed to be carried on by the contractor and the agency involved in the construction of drainage cum footpath.
Kamalesh Kumar too agreed and expressed his displeasure at the method and quality of works of both the road and the drainage. He however assured that something has to be done but advised the citizens to wait till the end of this month.
In the meantime, ACKHSA members laid siege of the National Highway Division office near Rangirkhari today and kept the Executive Engineer AK Chanda under gherao, demanding proper action for the improvement of the road and the drainage system along with quality of work. The gherao of the division was led by Association president Rupam Nandi Purkayastha.
source: sentinel assam
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