GUWAHATI: The Communist Party Of India (Marxist), CPI (M), formed a human chain at Bamunimaidan in protest against the under-construction Dighalipukhuri-Noonmati flyover on Wednesday, June 19.
With an aim to address the various issues faced by the residents of the area and commuters, who travel along the stretch, the protest by CPI (M) Kendriya local committee, pinpointed the factors and reasons for inconvenience, questioning the government on its plan to resolve the same.
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Talking to GPlus, Suprakash Talukdar, Assam State Secretary, CPI (M), said that, “One of the most important questions that CPI (M) wants to ask is why did the government not take the approval of the public before starting the construction of the flyover. The areas suffering now, like Silpukhuri, Chandmari, and others, are thickly populated and now that the rains are here and there’s waterlogging issues, people are finding it really hard to commute. You can also see the pollution caused on days when there’s no rain."
He further added, "There is no alternate route as well. It seems like the construction work was started by force by our CM Sarma. Also, the government said that this year floods would be less, but the reality is different. Further, the small traders and businessman who have their shops and trades along this route, are suffering huge losses. I would also like to ask whether the government has planned for some compensation for them?”
The protest aimed to address multiple grievances related to the safety and well-being of the citizens. The primary concern raised by the CPI (M) was the lack of safety measures at the construction site, no alternate route to go through when the main road is jam-packed, waterlogging leading to no demarcation between the roads and drains, and the losses incurred by the small traders and business.
They claimed that the flyover construction company has failed to install barricades on both sides of the work area, posing significant risks to public safety. This situation has forced the general public to navigate through open pits and damaged roads, thus making it unsafe and hazardous.
Another representative of CPI (M) at the protest said that while the flyover development is essential for the city's infrastructure, it should not compromise with the public safety and well-being. They urged the authorities to take immediate action to address the issues caused by the construction.
