December 4, 2024
Sushmita Dev’s Zero Hour mention on the demand to holistically improve the connectivity of Assam in terms of roads, railways and air
Sir, I thank you for the opportunity. I am elated that hon. Minister, Shri Gadkari, is in the House while I am speaking. Sir, I come from the State of Assam and I live in Silchar. The regional development of any area depends on connectivity. Whether it is social integration or whether it is business or trade, we are heavily dependent on roadways. History will tell you that we have waited for two decades for Silchar- Saurashtra East West Corridor to complete. I don’t want to get into the blame game because I talk about the convenience of the people. We have multiple challenges. Number one, it is well-known that Assam is a State where rainfall is very heavy.Secondly, our biggest challenge is soil and terrain. You are well aware– you must have been to the State of Assam and other North Eastern States – that landslides, the way they occur, are beyond the control of human beings. Apart from that, peace in North East. Every time, one State is disturbed, the connectivity of other States is equally affected.Take for instance, Manipur. I come from Cachar. Jiribam and Jirighat are today neighbouring districts. Today, people of Manipur depend on Assam to commute because of the disturbance which is an added pressure on our State. Apart from that, railway faces similar problems as roadways.But, Sir, what the airfare to fly today from North Eastern States to Delhi is, one has to think. Till today, Mahasadak is incomplete. Our NH-6 is struggling, Silchar to Shillong. To go to our own capital, we have to go via Meghalaya. Apart from that, if we look at NH-306, you would see, that is also blocked. Repeatedly, I request Gadkariji, we have been demanding an alternative route to the Mahasadak which would save us from this dismal situation so that we can travel via Lanka. I request youfor urgent intervention to improve the connectivity there.
