Our Bureau
SHILLONG/TUra: The State Government is likely to sanction Rs 17 crores for repairing and strengthening of the much deteriorated Agia, Medhipara, Phulbari, Tura (AMPT) road.
Phulbari MLA, SG Estamur Mominin said that the government will shortly sanction Rs 17 crores for repairing the road from 41 to 51 kilometers.
The repairing work at other stretches is going on presently and it may take around two years time to finish it. The road is considered to be the lifeline for the people of Garo Hills but it is still left unattended.
The AMPT road links Tura through Phulbari before touching another road in Agia.
Villagers repair NGH road
Failure of the government to repair a link road in North Garo Hills despite the submission of several memorandums has compelled the local people to take matters into their own hands.
On Thursday, residents of four villages namely Babukona, Mongre, Khaldang and Belpara Rabha came together under an umbrella union, the Border Area Development Committee (BADC) to repair the Resubelpara-Krishnai road which is the nearest road that connects the district headquarters to neighbouring Assam.
Other than the town of Resubelpara, the road is a lifeline for most parts of the district and essential commodities like petrol, food products and materials used for construction are transported through this road.
“The road has been in a dilapidated state due to total neglect by the government. There are many potholes causing much difficulty for the drivers
to navigate and many commuters have met with accidents that could have been avoided had the government been concerned about the difficulty faced by the people,” former leader of the Garo Students’ Union (GSU) Walseng N Sangma said.
Sangma also questioned whether if the government was waiting for more accidents and deaths to occur before they take up the matter.
He said that due to the failure of the government to maintain the road, villagers are forced to do the work on their own at their own expense keeping in view the welfare of the public.
“We are repairing the road with the donations of sev