Barpathar Sports Gallery Crumbles in Months, ₹1 Cr Scam Suspected

Barely months after Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma inaugurated the Sewaguri Rural Sports Project in Barpathar, serious questions have emerged over the quality of construction work as the gallery structure has already started crumbling.

The sports infrastructure, built under the Tengahola Gaon Panchayat in the Golaghat South Development Block, was funded with approximately ₹1 crore under the MGNREGA scheme. However, less than a year since its completion and official inauguration on December 9, 2024, visible cracks have developed across the gallery, with portions of the structure now falling apart.

Shockingly, trees and plants have begun sprouting from the cracked concrete, indicating poor material quality and neglect. Locals allege that due to substandard construction work carried out under the supervision of the Tengahola Panchayat, the entire structure has started deteriorating rapidly.

While local MLA Bishwajit Phukan has expressed aspirations to transform Sarupathar into a sports capital, the situation at Sewaguri paints a different picture. Residents claim that a section of contractors, instead of upholding that vision, have exploited the project for personal gain by compromising on construction standards and misusing government funds.

This development raises serious questions about the role and accountability of the Golaghat South Development Block authorities, under whose jurisdiction the project was executed.

Meanwhile, the Barpathar Regional Students' Union has demanded a thorough investigation into the matter, urging authorities to hold those responsible accountable for the misuse of public funds and substandard execution of the government scheme.

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