SILCHAR, May 11 � Come May 14 and all roads will lead to Assam University for its XIII convocation. This year though the annual event of conferring degrees and awards will be special as the President of India Pranab Mukherjee is scheduled to be the main attraction. A host of distinguished dignitaries including the Governor, the Chief Minister and others are also slated to attend the occasion.
But driving on the dug-up road stretches from Silchar onwards to Assam University is leaving road users exhausted and glaring potholes are giving them back-breaking rides. A recurring problem every year, there seems to be no exception this year as well. At a time when umpteen protests by the varsity students against the awful roads made no impact on the administration, the bad roads are certainly ready to welcome the first citizen of the country. Fortunately, the President will not feel the pains the commuters undergo as he would be flown to the varsity via choppers from Kumbirgram Airport. The Governor and the Chief Minister are also reaching the venue by helicopters.
March 21, 2013 is not even a history when Governor JB Patnaik because of a technical snag in the chopper had to experience the bumpy roads to reach the university to deliver his speech. Many scholars and invitees have been visiting the central university by road and they leave the same impression every time they make a trip� of utter disgust and discontent.
The Assam University Research Scholars Association has demanded to include the Silchar-Dwarbondh route in the scheme of the promised Rs 1000 crore special package. The former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam had announced that the route will be developed into a four-lane track. That was back in 2006. Interestingly, Dr Kalam will visit the NIT, Silchar at its convocation on May 12.
Monsoon is fast approaching and so are the worries of road users. With the skies wearing a gloomy look, if the weather gods do not allow flying, President Pranab Mukherjee might have to tread the dilapidated roads to reach the university which are being stitched in the meanwhile.
