SILCHAR, May 11: The former President of India, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, during his maiden visit to Assam University in 2006 as a President observed that the Silchar–University road should be upgraded into four–lane. Since then almost seven years have passed but thecondition of the road remains the same. Incidentally, the former President had to take this route today to reach the university to attend an interaction programme with the students.
The nearly 40–km stretch connecting Silchar and Hailakandi through the Assam University has been ill–maintained for the last few years. The dilapidated condition of the road has put thousands of students and other commuters in difficulty as they have to endure slush when it rains and choke on the dust during the dry season.
Notwithstanding numerous representations by the students' associations andsocial organizations, no serious step has been initiated by the district administration. The people had also imposed blockades and organized series of strikes, demanding the improvement of this important road, but the district administration every time gave false assurances to the people.
However, on the eve of Kalam's visit, the workerswere seen busy yesterdayand today in jury rigging repair works in order to ensure his smooth journey. It is for sure that this repair works will not last long and the road willbe turned in its original shape within a few days.
It will be inappropriate tocall it the university road as thousands of people use it daily as a thoroughfare. Every day a large number of vehicles including heavy trucks, public buses ply on this road.
Meanwhile, the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee, is scheduled to be present at the 13th Convocation of Assam University slated for May 14. Taking this into account, Assam UniversityResearch Scholars' Association (AURSA) has urged the President of India to come by road so that he could physically witness the dilapidated condition of the road. The Association recently sent a memorandum addressed to the President of India, requesting him to come by road to the University from the Khumbirgram airport.
"It is a legitimate demand. If the President comes by road, he could feel the troubles that the public in general and the students in particular faceevery day. Then only the district administration and the State governmentwill wake up from their sleep," said Sujata Bhattacharjee, a research scholar.
Pinak Pani Nath, a research scholar in the department of Visual Arts,said that the pathetic state of the road did not go well with the reputation of the university and had carveda niche in the education sector. "The students do not want to come to this varsity from outside the State due to the miserablecondition of the road," he added.
Joydeep Goswami, secretary, Assam University Research Scholars' Association said that they had submitted amemorandum to the ChiefMinister Tarun Gogoi as well, requesting him to allocate funds for the improvement of the road from his Rs 1,000 crore special package for Barak Valley. The CM is also likely to be present at the Convocation of the varsity. (Sentinelassam)
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