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Dumpers, tractors converting MB Road into a killer highway

By Correspondent

KALAIGAON, April 6 - The MB Road (Mangaldai-Bhutiachang) Road is widely regarded as the lifeline of Udalguri district (earlier Darrang district) since the days of the British Raj.

This vital state highway connects the rest of Assam to important places of Udalguri district, namely Kalaigaon, Tangla, Bhergaon, Paneri, Hatigarh, Bhutiachang, Nonaipara, Dimakuchi and Samrang near the India-Bhutan international border.

Most of the natural resources of Udalguri district like sand, stone, timber and Bhutan coal are transported to other places of Assam through the said MB Road. With the growing demand for building material, several illegal sand, stone mining and crusher units have been clandestinely set up and flourishing in the northern part of Udalguri district bordering Bhutan since the last decade, resulting in increased plying of dumpers, trucks and tractors on the aforementioned MB Road.

Taking advantage of the Forest Department�s inefficiency in the district, acts of illegal sand and stone mining have been attracting more and more people to these trades, thereby not only causing huge revenue loss to the government, but also loss of many precious human lives.

The speeding dumpers, trucks and tractors carrying mostly illegal and overloaded consignments of sand and stone from Gitibari, Nonai, Samrang, Kulsi etc., have been occasionally killing innocent people in frequent road accidents on this highway.

To cite an example, a speeding dumper bearing registration No. AS 13C-1807 and carrying a consignment of sand/stones hit a passenger-transporting Magic van bearing registration No. AS 27C-1807 at Beltoli near Kalaigaon town on March 31 at 5.30 pm.

The Magic van, it may be mentioned, was hired by students appearing in the DEIEd final examination at Kalaigaon College. The Magic van was damaged badly following the collision. Seven students, mostly women, sustained severe injuries. One Parbati Rabha, an examinee from Tangla was rushed to the GNRC Hospital located at North Guwahati in a critical condition.

In the meantime, the senior citizens of Kalaigaon have requested the Superintendent of Police of Udalguri, SDO (Civil) of Bhergaon, SDPO of Bhergaon and Circle Officer of Kalaigaon Revenue Circle for checking the menace of unruly dumpers, trucks and tractors in the collective public interest.

According to latest information available, Udalguri Police has taken up a few steps to control over-speeding of dumpers, trucks and tractors on the said MB Road. The local citizens have also requested Udalguri Police to support the ailing student undergoing medical treatment in the GNRC Hospital.

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