SHILLONG: Politicians and legislators of the state are utilising the three-months-time they get to seek people’s mandate even as they wait with bated breath for the big day, to displaying their political wit either during public meetings or press conferences.
These politicians would very often take a dig at political rivals and the undeveloped infrastructure. Their speeches would be interspersed with observations, mostly on poor road conditions in the state.
National People’s Party (NPP) legislator, James Sangma, during a public meeting at Pynursla took a dig at Assembly Speaker AT Mondal, who represents Phulbari constituency and, “The roads in Phulbari are so bad that most people think of growing paddy on them.”
National spokesperson of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and Meghalaya in-charge, Nalin Kohli made a sarcastic comment on the condition of roads in the state.
“The longest distance from Guwahati to Agia in Assam took just two hours of travel whereas the shortest length from Tikrikilla to Rajabala took six hours. That is the condition of the roads provided by the Congress government,” he said, during a recent visit to Garo Hills.
On another account, he had narrated his experience of travelling on the “broken roads” in Garo Hills.
Meanwhile, National Secretary of BJP, ST Morcha, Hayithung Bill Lotha said that the roads in Ampati had become like fishing ponds.
He told reporters recently, “I want to question the Chief Minister (Mukul Sangma)- where has all the money vanished? The roads of Ampati has become like fishery pond where people can even fish besides the road.”
Tura MP Conrad Sangma had taken up with the Centre about improving roads in the plain belt of Garo Hills.
The national president of NPP, while addressing a gathering at Tikrikilla in West Garo Hills recently, assured the public, who apprised him of the poor road condition in Tikrikilla, Phulbari, Rajabala and Garobadha, of action.
Sangma, who met Gadkari told the Union minister that NH-62 from Pattargittim to Dalu, NH-51 from Tura to Dalu, the road from Baghmara to Ranikor (South West Khasi Hills) via Maheskola and Mahadeo and conversion of NEC road from Agia to Dalu via Phulbari and Singimari needed immediate attention.
“The pathetic condition of the road has made people lost hope in the government. The people of Meghalaya are frustrated and angry. People from Khasi, Jaintia and Garo Hills have raised their concern about the road and have asked me to apprise the Union Government to pay its attention to improve the roads,” Conrad Sangma added.
The road ahead?
The dilapidated road condition has bemused every Shillongite as well. People have to carefully maneuver the thoroughfares of Jeep Stand as protruding pipes coupled with potholes and ditches pose a danger to pedestrians.
Interestingly, it is seen that in some localities in the urban areas and sub-urban areas repairing of roads is on full swing.
The construction of footpath along Jeep Stand has been a welcome move. As a taxi driver stated that since the side drain emanates foul smell, the construction of footpath was a boon.
Turning to the rural roads, Kynjaimon Amse, a law student and a resident of the villages affected with bad roads, was annoyed at the “voiceless MLA, MDC and MP.”
He told The Shillong Times, that people should be wise while electing their representatives. “Nevertheless, our fight for the road will continue and we hope few more months, we will get the sanction. The government has time and again informed me that our issue will be taken on priority. Hope things work out soon.”
The roads in question connect the five villages of Hingaria, Lejri, Lailong, Huroi and Baskuna in which Amse said, “The roads are still bad.”
He informed that the villages there are more than 50 years old and the Kutcha road was built by GREF in the 1970s but never metalled.
Meanwhile, residents of Thangmaw, under Mawthadraishan constituency are peeved at the indifferent attitude of the elected representatives towards the condition of a road which has been lying in a “dug-up” state for 27 long years. It was dug up in 1990.
It has posed severe hindrances to commuters and has affected the livelihood of the people who are mostly farmers, daily wage earners and students
The residents stated that it was difficult for vehicles to ply on the road and mishaps have occurred quite regularly with eroded stones lying scattered. The situation worsens during summer.
Thangmaw produces squash, oranges and others and it supplies vegetables and fruits to parts of West Khasi Hills. The residents of the village have yet again urged the state government including the MLA of Mawthadraishan to look into the difficulties faced by them during the past 27 years.