Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: A Rs 3-crore road infrastructure project in Digboi is facing intense scrutiny after all 80 street lights installed along the new Digboi to Duliajan link road stopped working within weeks of opening. The 780-metre stretch, developed under the Mukhya Mantrir Nagariya Pakipath Nirman Asoni, was intended to be a major upgrade for the area.
Local residents have voiced concerns regarding the reliability of the infrastructure, while student leader Nikhil Koch alleged that sections of the road near the public cremation ground already show signs of structural decay. Critics claim that temporary repairs were performed just before the project was officially inaugurated to hide defects.
Public Works Department officials have dismissed these claims, insisting the project adhered to all approved technical specifications. Assistant Executive Engineer Binod Choubey stated that the construction faced unique challenges due to the presence of old British-era structures along the route. Regarding the lighting failure, the department attributed the blackout to a technical short circuit caused by insufficient power cable capacity.
The executing agency, BK Construction, echoed this position by stating that the issue stems from power connectivity rather than poor installation. The department previously sought assistance from the Indian Oil Corporation for electricity, with officials noting, "the project was complete and requested power connectivity to make the lighting operational." A senior official at the IOC refinery said the power connection was already supplied and the corporation is unaware of any ongoing issues. Authorities are now under pressure from the community to conduct a thorough inspection of the site.
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