GUWAHATI: The residents and pedestrians of Lachit Nagar in Guwahati are facing a dilemma as the zebra crossing has been barricaded ahead of Prime Minister Modi's visit today, leaving many stranded on either side of the road.
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Talking to GPlus, Hemen Das, a daily commuter in Lachit Nagar said, "This is ridiculous. We will be suffering all day because of the PM's visit. I tried to cross the road and found the zebra crossing blocked. What kind of rule is this?"
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However, talking to GPlus, a traffic police in Lachit Nagar revealed that the barricades would be removed after 10:00 p.m. to facilitate normal pedestrian movement.
In light of this obstacle, many people turned to the nearby foot overbridge near Hanuman Mandir as an alternative, the sorry state of which has deterred its usage.
"People throw trash on the footbridge and spit out tobacco and pan masala, making it dirty. Homeless beggars often sleep there, which feels uncomfortable and inappropriate for us pedestrians", Dipika Kalita, a shopkeeper in Lachit Nagar told GPlus.
Despite the glaring problems, the lack of periodic maintenance and accountability from the authorities has left pedestrians stranded.
While the zebra crossing remains barricaded for the PM's visit, the neglect of the foot overbridge raises concerns about public safety and infrastructure upkeep.
"Why isn't regular maintenance happening? Are authorities holding anyone accountable? Why are these facilities in such a sorry state that even a healthy person can't use them? Have officials been held responsible? Maintenance should be ongoing; you can't just build and forget. What actions are authorities taking?"
Ratul Deka, who works in an office at Lachit Nagar, talking to GPlus, "This footbridge has been neglected by the authorities for a long time. I hope the relevant authorities take appropriate action and clean up this dilapidated footbridge."
GPlus reached out to PwD, GMDA, and GMC for comments. However, it appears that all these authorities are engaged in a blame game, deflecting responsibility instead of addressing the issue.
Talking to GPlus, a senior official from PwD stated, "We are not responsible for maintaining this foot over bridge. It's likely to be managed by GMDA."
Talking to GPlus, a senior official from GMDA said, "We have built the foot over bridge, but we are not responsible for its maintenance. It's likely overseen by GMC."
GPlus tried contacting GMC but did not get any response.
The lack of accountability and coordination among authorities highlights the urgent need for collective action to address the plight of pedestrians in Lachit Nagar.
