Tura, Apr 13: The Agia-Medhipara-Phulbari-Tura (AMPT), arguably the lifeline of lakhs of people between the states of Meghalaya and Assam, has been one of the most important yet neglected roads in the state of Meghalaya. With most of the road falling within the state of Meghalaya, the road itself is managed by the state PWD. However, despite the importance, the road in question is one of the worst managed since decades.
AMPT road connects the town of Tura in Meghalaya to the village of Sign Board, close to Agia in Assam’s Goalpara district. In between, it connects Garobadha, Hallidayganj (Hatsingimari), Rajabala, Phulbari, Tikrikilla before joining Sign Board, bordering Assam. The total distance of the road is just over 140 kms. Through the distance, a little more than 50 kms aren’t actually back-breaking.
The initial 28 kms up to Garobadha is relatively decent after repairs were undertaken recently. However, the hell ride starts immediately after you pass Garobadha.
Once past Garobadha, the road touches Gonglanggre — a stretch that has left locals desperate to walk rather than drive. Potholes as big and as deep as swimming pools will stretch your sinew. It will take a minimum of 10 minutes to cross the less-than-2-km section. The PWD had begun repairs on the section about two years ago. However, without explanation, the work was left a quarter of the way through, making the situation worse.
Once past this section, you have the choice of making your journey through either Selsella (relatively easier on the stomach) or on the AMPT road through Pipulbari. Let us go with the AMPT road as of now just to see how badly this stretches out.
The next section between Gonglanggre to Rajabala is close to 35 kms but you need a dirt-racing expert to navigate through. The entire stretch would even give the devil nightmares. Imagine travelling 35 kms at nothing greater than 15 kms per hour. In fact, there have been instances of people’s cars being overtaken by bicycles. There are literal abysses on the stretch where even huge trucks have landed in trouble. The route takes you through Zekabari, Pipulbari, Hallidayganj before once again connecting with the Selsella route that you intentionally did not take.
By this time, of course, you just want to get out of your car and stop driving altogether! In reality you have not even clocked half the course.
The recent repairs on the section between Rajabala till you cross Chibinang (about 25 kms) will make you feel like you are driving through heaven against what you went through earlier. However, the nightmare is coming to haunt you once again and with vengeance.
The AMPT road then begins its crescendo. If there were bones in your body that had not creaked and spat, the rest of the journey will definitely give meaning to AC/DC’s Highway to Hell.
The next stretch of about 45 kms resembles exactly what you faced when travelling between Garobadha to Rajabala with only one difference — the section is longer (47 kms or so). Of course, by the time you reach Sign Board your body is at the end of its tether.
“It’s never been a secret that the AMPT road has been one of the worst roads that is used in the state of Meghalaya. The fact that lakhs use this road on a daily basis is an afterthought. Successive governments have only made cosmetic changes and repairs last less than a year. Unless there is some serious thought in road building through the plain belt, the people will continue to suffer,” said Peter A Sangma, a resident of Phulbari.
“We have written several times to the state government to give us better roads but we continue to suffer through this on a daily basis. We sent another to the state government recently and hope our plight will be taken seriously and rectified,” said AMMSU president, Nur Islam, who sought repair to the Rajabala-Garobadha section.
There are some positives coming in the way for the people of the plain-belt with the longest bridge in the country between Phulbari and Dhubri already being worked on. Similarly, the section between Tikrikilla and Sign Board is also being repaired though the work is delayed by more than two years already.
“Health-wise, economically as well as mentally, the AMPT road is a stretch to the people of the region. It is the lifeline of the people of the plain belt from both Assam and Meghalaya. Given the importance, its value has not been taken seriously. We are hoping the situation will change in the future,” added another Phulbari resident, SR Sangma.