Doomdooma: Students, patients and commuters in Makum in Assam’s Tinsukia district, took to the streets on Friday over the poor condition of damaged stretches of National Highway-37 and National Highway-38. They demanded immediate repair and renovation of the highways.
The protest was organised by the Makum Regional Students’ Union. The organisation raised concerns about the worsening condition of the highways and the difficulties faced by residents, particularly during the rainy season.
After the protest, a delegation submitted a memorandum to the co-district official. The official received the memorandum and assured the protesters that the matter would be brought to the notice of higher authorities. He also said efforts would be made to find a solution at the earliest.
“Students, patients and common people are suffering a lot because of the poor condition of the roads. We had submitted a memorandum previously as well, but it did not yield any effective result. We hope the authorities will now take urgent steps to address the problem,” said Shiba Das, president of the Makum regional unit of AASU.
The poor road condition has also affected patients travelling to Tinsukia Medical College and Hospital at Makum. A pregnant woman travelling to the hospital for treatment said the damaged road had made the journey particularly difficult.
“Travelling over such a badly damaged road is extremely uncomfortable, especially during pregnancy. Patients need to reach the hospital safely and without unnecessary physical hardship. The authorities should repair the road as soon as possible,” she said.
Residents also spoke about the condition of the highways during the rainy season. They said the recurring damage has added to dust and air pollution caused by heavy vehicular movement.
Residents and protesters have urged the authorities to use durable and modern road-construction technology and carry out timely maintenance to prevent the highway stretches from deteriorating repeatedly.