GUWAHATI: A committee demanding construction of a bridge linking North Guwahati with Guwahati since 2014 demanded a CBI probe into the alleged “irregularities” in the Assam inland water transport department besides reiterating its claim for building a bridge, particularly in the wake of the September 5 ferry mishap and the subsequent ban on country boats.
Nirmaleswar Goswami, the chief coordinator of the North Guwahati-Guwahati Sanjogi Dolong Nirman Dabi Samiti, told The Shillong Times on Sunday that the regular occurrence of ferry mishaps on the Brahmaputra owing to overloading or engine failures bore testimony to the fact that the department has not been up to its task over the decades.
“The inquiry into the 2012 boat capsize at Medattari in Dhubri district had failed to yield any result and it is doubtful whether the probe ordered into the Ashwaklanta mishap earlier this month would be any different. We therefore demand that a thorough CBI probe be instituted into the irregularities in the department,” Goswami said.
The committee further threatened to launch an agitation if the prevailing “ambiguity” in regard to acquisition of about 250 bighas of land in North Guwahati revenue circle for construction of the bridge is not addressed at the earliest.
Two notifications have been issued to the residents for surrender of land since July this year and residents are still in the dark on the acquisition process and the compensation to be paid to them.
Every day more than 15,000 residents comprising office goers, school and college students, traders and labourers among others hinge on the ferry service across the three ghats connecting the north and south banks of Guwahati.
The committee further expressed its dismay at the state government’s failure to live up to its commitment to operate new ferries across the three ghats from September 12.
“Therefore we reiterate our four-year-old demand for expediting the process to construct the bridge. However, till the bridge comes up, we want an alternative as currently there are just three government ferries operating. Our immediate demand is that the trips should be half hourly and start from 5am till 9pm every day,” Goswami asserted.