The roads in North Lakhimpur town, the district headquarter of Lakhimpur has become a nightmare for every pedestrian, cyclist and even those who drive vehicles. Photo: Farhana Ahmed

The roads in North Lakhimpur town, the district headquarter of Lakhimpur has become a nightmare for every pedestrian, cyclist and those who drive vehicles. The departments concerned have no answer to the ever increasing traffic in a civic system unchanged and stagnant for decades due to sheer lack of interest by its stakeholders.

The town which  had less than half dozen roads earlier still remains with its original shape and size with a fast growing population, rapid and unplanned urbanization and despite an increased number of vehicles of all forms ignoring the need for expansion and extension.

The biggest problem in the streets of North Lakhimpur town is the system of allowing public transport of all modes to have stands everywhere. Up bound (Dhemaji-Jonai and Ghilamor-Dhakuwakhona route) buses, mini-passenger vehicles are parked on NH-15 (NT Road) from Revenue Circle office to CD Road-Panindra Road Tiniali from morning to evening causing lot of difficulties to other traffic and pedestrians to move in these areas.

Similarly down bound (Tezpur-Biswanath-Narayanpur-Bihpuria route) vehicles are parked on the public road from ASTC stand, near Deputy Commissioner’s office to Town Bor-Masjid throughout the day causing same nuisance.

However the worst traffic congestion is felt on Thakurbari area of the town where different vehicles are parked on almost middle of the road for various commercial establishments up to the main Chari Ali of the town. Similarly on KB Road, parking of vehicles in front of the mosque causes horrible traffic congestion every day in the town. In all the cases the traffic police play the role of mute spectators.

The North Lakhimpur Municipal Board is also equally responsible for the chaos and mess that occur every day in North Lakhimpur town. The unplanned construction permitted by it is to be blamed for the present problems affecting its tax payers. Large commercial buildings are allowed by the NLMB to construct without fulfilling the criterion.

There seems to be no one from the authority to monitor, inspect or enforce the basic laws and rules violated by such constructions. Instead of concentrating on the betterment of the civic amenities in North Lakhimpur town, the elected representatives of NL Municipal Board are seen engaged mostly on petty political or party concerns. To add the misery, all the roads of the town are filled by hordes of stray cattle and dogs.

All these have led North Lakhimpur town very unsafe, chaotic and disturbing for its residents. As the town has appeared to be without a guardian, an immediate intervention from the authority concerned is the need of the hour.

Farhana Ahmed is Northeast Now Correspondent in North Lakhimpur. She can be reached at: [email protected]