From Our Correspondent
Tura, Sep 20: Angry residents of the Rajabala constituency, who have been haunted by the apathetic condition of the road between Rajabala to Bhajamara in West Garo Hills (WGH), have questioned the delay by the contractors, Midas Constructions, in working on the project.
Wednesday morning, residents of the area, after speaking to the contractors, came down to the Rajabala tri-junction in an effort to help the contractors with their work. They even came equipped with water pumps to drain sections of the road that are nearly impossible to navigate, in the hope that the company would ensure the section was at least in working condition.
Work on the Rajabala – Bhajamara road began more than a year ago and despite the length being only about 20-22 km, hardly anything of note has been done on the road itself.
Recently eyebrows were raised when the company in question completed almost 2 km of wafer-thin blacktopping on a section. This was completed in just seven hours (from 5 PM to 12 AM) and it was only with the intervention of locals that the contractors abandoned the rest for the day.
The after effects of the wafer thin final layer showed up after only about a week with many sections already cracking and wearing off. When contacted on the matter, the contractors claimed that they would redo the section.
The tri-junction, which connects AMPT road to Selsella and Bhajamara is one of the major routes in Garo Hills with the road being used extensively to visit the district headquarter and main town of the region, Tura. However neglect in repairs as well as the lack of drainage has meant that the road becomes a nightmare to travel on.
“There are sections in which small cars get submerged completely. Being such an important junction, just to think of having to cross it, can give even the strongest their worst nightmares. We have been requesting the contractor to at least make the section traversable and they continue to come up with excuses,” informed social activist and local resident, Mostapha Kabir.
“Yesterday when we called them again they claimed that some locals were causing problems due to which they were unable to touch the section in question. We promised to ensure that no one disturbed and asked them to come today to work on the section. We too came with water pumps to drain the water so that work would be easier for them,” he added.
However, after initially promising to come, the company only sent 1 excavator and just one truck of JSB material which literally was like a drop of water in the ocean of a road.
“We waited for them the entire day and nothing more happened. This is not only criminal but also negligence of the aspirations of the people. We request the authorities to take note and help us get rid of our nightmares by working on this section. This is one of the busiest sections of the entire plain belt,” added Kabir.
Meanwhile, repairs on the connected AMPT road between Rajabala through Hallidayganj and beyond is another matter altogether despite the Meghalaya HC coming down heavily on both the government and PWD. Sections which were repaired under the orders of the Court did not even last 1 month, showing how much the contractor cared about an order from the Court.
Locals reported that many sections on the repaired AMPT road were now not even suitable for walking.