GUWAHATI: In the midst of intensified efforts to meet a looming deadline for the completion of the Maligaon flyover, a growing concern has emerged regarding the safety of pedestrians and vehicles in the vicinity.
According to the residents, as construction work gains momentum, reports of falling fire sparks from the construction site have given rise to worries among residents and commuters alike.
Nabin Rao, a local resident of Maligaon told G Plus that, "This happens on an everyday basis," he stated. "Some unfortunate individuals have even sustained burns as a result of these falling sparks."
Adding to the mounting worries, Mukund Agarwal, another resident of Jalukbari pointed out the potential harm posed to vehicles due to the presence of sparks. The congestion stemming from the heavy traffic often leads to extended queues in the vicinity of the construction site.
Agarwal highlighted that these sparks have been known to land on vehicles, causing damage to their exterior structures.
Local residents have raised concerns about the lack of effective construction site management overseeing the ongoing work.
Moreover, locals have reported instances where they have approached the workers, urging them to improve the quality of their work to ensure the safety of citizens.
However, these appeals have allegedly been met with resistance from the workers who claim that their focus is primarily on meeting the tight project deadline, necessitating faster completion rather than meticulous attention to safety and quality.
Another resident of Zoo Road stated while talking to G Plus that the traffic management is done properly and during the construction of the bridge, the traffic is halted by officials in an orderly manner for proper facilitation.
This accelerated pace of work follows Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma's announcement that the Maligaon flyover construction, which is a total of ₹420.75 crore will be completed by August 28 this year.
It also needs to be mentioned that, there have been a series of accidents which occurred beneath the Maligaon flyover.
One incident involved concrete clusters falling onto a car, while another incident saw the bridge scaffolding catching fire and subsequently melting the material onto the road.
An official from the PWD acknowledged the concerns, noting the necessity of precautions during construction but also acknowledging the pressure to meet deadlines.
Contrary to the Chief Minister's statement, the official estimated that the work might be completed by the first week of September, depending on the pace of construction.
