Silchar: Once among Assam’s prominent urban centres, Silchar is now facing a deepening infrastructure crisis, with potholed, waterlogged roads turning daily commutes into an ordeal. Mounting public anger has led the Greater Silchar Citizens’ Forum to lash out at both the ruling establishment and the opposition for failing to address the issue.Forum general secretary Sadhan Purkayastha alleged that several arterial stretches have become virtually non-motorable. “The Capital Point–Rangirkhari–Irongmara stretch is riddled with craters, broken patches and stagnant water. Commuting here is risky and exhausting,” he said. Even light rain, he added, leaves roads muddy and accident-prone.The situation has affected all sections of society — from office-goers and students to emergency services. Residents claim ambulances often struggle to pass through key stretches, raising serious safety concerns.Purkayastha also targeted the ruling BJP, alleging failure in road maintenance despite repeated claims of development. “If the govt were truly committed, it would have acknowledged the crisis and offered a clear roadmap. Instead, development remains limited to rhetoric,” he said.He criticised opposition parties as well, accusing them of failing to effectively highlight the issue ahead of the recent elections. “Despite being a major public concern, the opposition could not leverage it or push for meaningful solutions,” he added.Across the town, residents report similar conditions. Roads at Rangirkhari Point-Medical College, Meherpur, Shivalik Park and Veterinary Point are in a severely dilapidated state, with some stretches nearly disappearing. Locals say even walking has become hazardous.The problem extends to key link roads such as Chandicharan Road, Tarani Road, Das Colony, Vidyasagar Sarani and Chittaranjan Avenue connectors. These routes are expected to play a crucial role in traffic diversion during upcoming infrastructure works, including proposed flyovers, but currently remain in poor condition.Questions have also been raised over construction quality. The forum alleged that despite crores being sanctioned for major stretches, roads have deteriorated rapidly, pointing to substandard work and possible corruption.Drawing comparisons, Purkayastha said cities like Guwahati, Dibrugarh and even smaller towns such as Tezpur have significantly better road infrastructure. “Silchar has fallen decades behind in terms of urban development,” he said.The forum has demanded immediate repair and upgrading of all major and link roads, along with strict monitoring to ensure quality and accountability in future projects.With daily disruptions, financial losses and safety risks mounting, pressure is building on the administration to act. Civic observers warn that continued neglect could trigger a larger public agitation in the coming days.
