PPFA Calls on Assam Govt to Reopen Iconic Lakshminath Bezbarua Road

The Patriotic People’s Front Assam (PPFA) has expressed deep concern over the closure of an iconic road, named after Assam's literary legend Sahityasamrat Lakshminath Bezbarua, and has called on the authorities to reopen it for public use. 

The road, which connects Guwahati Railway Station with Nehru Park and the Gauhati Town Club area on MG Road, has been closed for some time, inconveniencing both commuters and heavy vehicles, including those serving key establishments like the Reserve Bank of India office, Army Transit Camp, and the region's busiest railway station.

In a statement, the PPFA stressed that the reopening of Lakshminath Bezbarua Road was vital for daily commuters, as well as for easing the movement of heavy traffic in this bustling part of the city. The road had once served as an important route for city buses traveling to locations such as Gauhati University and Assam Engineering College until the 1990s, but its fate changed when it was transformed into a food court area. The area, which also housed an underground car park, has since been left abandoned, with the once-thriving Food Villa restaurant now closed, making the space a haven for antisocial activities.

"The parking area under the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority remains neglected, dark, and filthy despite regular use by local car owners. The abandoned food court and parking lot should either be demolished or transformed, bringing back the road to its original purpose," said the PPFA in its statement. "If the parking area is to remain, it must be properly maintained, and a concrete structure could be erected to allow smooth movement of vehicles and pedestrians from MG Road to the station and vice versa."

The forum also expressed dismay that a road commemorating Lakshminath Bezbarua, a figure who wrote Assam's state anthem, "O Mur Apunar Desh ", was shut down by the administration without clear justification.

The PPFA is urging the government to rectify this error, leveraging modern technology to reopen the road for public use. They have appealed to Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma and Urban Affairs Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah to prioritize this issue and restore the historic road for the benefit of the city's residents.

In its call to action, the PPFA made it clear that the reopening of Lakshminath Bezbarua Road is not just about convenience; it is about preserving the legacy of one of Assam's greatest cultural icons while ensuring that the region's infrastructure meets the growing needs of its citizens.

The forum has demanded urgent attention from the state government, emphasizing that the road’s closure has outlived its rationale and that it is time for progress.