Warning and assurance follow 72–hour bandh

SILCHAR, August 13: It was a bandh that encompassed 72 hours from the sunset of Friday to the sunset of Monday and paralyzed the movement of all sorts of vehicular traffic on Lakhipur–Ramnagar–Amjurghat road that linked clusters of villages and the NH 37, earlier 53. All sections of people joined to make the bandh a success in the vast areas which brought down shutters of shops, banks, educational institutions, state government offices as well as commercial interests. It was spontaneous and overwhelming.
In order to add teeth to the bandh to express people’s resentment and anger against the bad shape of the road in question, hundreds of people at the fag end also blocked the NH 37 that brought a halt to vehicular traffic. It necessitated intervention of the civil administration assisted by the security forces. The people ended the blockade with the warning that if the road was not repaired and improved within a week, it would result in prolong and more intensified agitation. The SDO (Civil) had to give written assurance that their demand would be met and the work on improvement of the road would begin by August 22.
In fact, network of roads across Barak Valley as reported earlier are in a bad shape and despite media focus on it, there is little action from the PWD (NH) or Rural division. Lakhipur sub division is no exception. Public complaints and agitations for improvement of roads from time to time have no effect on the authorities concerned.
To repeat, in protest against the indifferent and callous attitude of the administration and the PWD (Rural), people of the areas covering besides Ramnagar, Amjurghat and Binnakandie and its 9 GPs as well as the clusters of villages around under the banner of ‘South Barak Road Development Committee’ had given call for the bandh. People have willingly opted for the inconvenience to shake up the PWD (Rural) division of Cachar. All that remains are potholes and craters. There is no semblance of improvement although Rs 1.20 crore, according to information, was sanctioned for it.
The people on agitation before the bandh came to a close were addressed by Kanta Singh, secretary, and Mukesh Singh, president of South Barak Road Development Committee among others who exhorted them to be prepared for greater battle ahead if the PWD (Rural) did not act. (SentinelAssam)