SHILLONG: Blame game, innuendoes, mockery and criticisms are rising in a crescendo as political leaders and poll candidates list out their agenda three months before the Assembly elections.
Of the several topics being spoken about, condition of roads in different parts of the state is everyone’s favourite with speeches interspersed with observations on the infrastructure and taunts at the Mukul Sangma-led government.
During a public meeting in Pynursla, National People’s Party (NPP) legislator James Sangma took a dig at Assembly Speaker AT Mondal, who represents Phulbari constituency, saying, “The roads in Phulbari are so bad that most people think of growing paddy on them.”
The taunt, though aimed at Mondal, can be used for all public representatives in both rural and urban constituencies.
Nightmare in city
The problem of broken roads is as prominent in urban constituencies as it is in rural. In Shillong, residents in almost every locality, including the upscale Laitumkhrah and Lachumiere, have to dread such walkways or motorways, especially during monsoon.
People have to carefully manoeuvre the thoroughfares of Jeep Stand as protruding pipes coupled with potholes and ditches pose danger to pedestrians.
Interestingly, it is seen that in some localities in the urban areas and sub-urban areas repairing of roads is in 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 is a boon.
Nongrimmaw (Punjabi Lane) in Laitumkhrah is in a pathetic condition.
Rural story
In villages, the situation is the worst as people have to travel and commute through these bad roads for marketing, visiting a health centre.
Kynjaimon Amse, a law student and a resident of a village affected by bad roads, told The Shillong Times, “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 will work out soon.” The roads in question are the five villages of Hingaria, Lejri, Lailong, Huroi and Baskuna in which Amse said, “The roads are still bad.”
He informed that the villages 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, 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 rain. Thangmaw produces squash, oranges and other fruits and vegetables and them to parts of West Khasi Hills. Again, the dilapidated condition of the approach road to Shella, a quaint village in East Khasi Hills lying approximately 90 km from Shillong, also proves a hindrance for its aim to promote tourism.
The Shella Village Dorbar has found tourism an alternate source of livelihood that can provide employment to the youth prompting them to launch the Shella Tourism Initiative-2017. Amse was annoyed at the “voiceless MLA, MDC and MP,” asserting that people should be wise while electing their representatives.As a resident (who does not want to be named) of a village affected by bad roads says, “They come to our village only during elections but after that they disappear again until the next election comes.”
Meanwhile, Kyrdemkhla, a popular tourist spot on the outskirts of Shillong city, heaves a sigh of relief as road repair is halfway. A huge number of tourists from and outside the state visit the picnic spot frequently. The road leading to the spot was in a dilapidated state till last month, however, it is mended. Speaking to one of the local picnickers, Eric Rishan Ropmay said, “The road is in a much better state at the moment. When we last visited the place, we had trouble driving through this pathway.”
Rivals attack
National spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Meghalaya in-charge, Nalin Kohli made a sarcastic comment on the condition of roads.
“The longest distance from Guwahati to Agia in Assam took just two hours to travel whereas the shortest length from Tikrikilla to Rajabala took six hours. That is the condition of the roads provided by the Congress government,” Kohli 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.
BJP went a step ahead of not leaving a chance of criticising the State Government as National Secretary of BJP, ST Morcha, Hayithung Bill Lotha said that the roads in Ampati has become like fishing ponds.
Lotha 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.”
Meanwhile, 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 told Gadkari 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 need 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 added.