DIBRUGARH, Feb 7 - Given the multifold increase in traffic in the city, and the ever-increasing population here, there is an undisputable cause to widen and strengthen all the arterial roads of this second biggest urban centre of the State. In fact, with the commissioning of the Bogibeel bridge later this year, one can just imagine the traffic nightmare that lies ahead.
As a step to tackle the situation, the PWD has plans to widen two arterial roads in the city: the Convoy Road from Amolapatty up to the Boiragimoth railway crossing point. Officially, this road is called Deshbhakta Tarun Ram Phukan Path from Amolapatty to Chowkidinghee and Karmabir Navin Chandra Bordoloi Path from Chowkidinghee up to Boiragimoth railway crossing. The second road taken up for widening is the Bordoloi Avenue from Graham Bazar Tiniali up to the Assam Medical College gate.
However, what has baffled citizens here is that the PWD is about to hoodwink the public by its total lack of vision for a planned development of the city. Against the huge public demand to widen all major city roads to at least four-lane width (15 metres/ 50 feet) with proper footpaths, the PWD is not even contemplating a 10 metre (32 feet) width on the two roads stated in this report.
To add to the confusion, the Dibrugarh Development Authority (DDA) is also planning to construct a major drain between Don Bosco and Jiban Phukan Nagar. Unless the DDA constructs the drain with sufficient space for road widening works, the PWD will find a ready excuse to keep the Convoy Road narrow.
Given such a scenario, the Dibrugarh Nagarik Sangha has appealed to the DC, Dibrugarh, the DDA and the PWD Roads to ensure that the roads are widened with a meaningful purpose, with proper six- foot wide footpaths on both sides of the roads. It�s now up to the planners to decide whether to spend public money on meaningful projects or blow away tax payers� money with a criminal intent.
