Opposition to use of damaged AMPT road by boulder laden trucks from Bhutan

TURA: Locals from the plain belt region of West Garo Hills led by a social organization called the Anti Corruption and Human Development Organization (ACHDO) have strongly protested the decision of the government to allow huge dumper trucks loaded with boulders from Bhutan to pass through the fragile Agia-Medhipara-Phulbari-Tura (AMPT) road in en route to Bangladesh.

Since the past couple of days, dozens of these trucks have  been entering from neighbouring Assam through Agia and into the plain belt through Medhipara and Tikrikilla passing through the damaged AMPT road during the night. The trucks were previously allowed to pass through Tura town but following widespread public protests it was halted.

With the same column of trucks now targeting the plain belt route strong objections have been made against their movement.

“These trucks are using the road late at night and carry heavily loaded stones. We object to their movement as it damaging an already damaged road. These trucks started plying a few days ago on AMPT road,” informed president of ACHDO, Ishraful Hoque.

His organization reminded that already the people of the plain belt have been suffering extensively from the prevailing road condition and this movement of trucks has only aggravated the situation further.

“These trucks should be stopped immediately and we will not allow our lifeline to be crushed this way,” warned the protesting organization as they revealed that recent repairs undertaken in some of the damaged portions of the road has already been eroded further.

“If the movement of such trucks continue we will have no other way than to lodge an agitation. Innocent people are suffering even as the road repair is going to waste. We cannot understand as how the road was allowed to be used by authorities despite knowing the condition that it is in,” said Hoque.