Silchar–Kalain Road Crumbles: Where is Barak Valley’s “Development”?

One of the key roads in Assam's Cachar district has become a nightmare for thousands of commuters. Silchar–Kalain embankment road, which is the sole lifeline between Silchar, Barkhola, and Katigorah, was abandoned to disrepair as a result of years of neglect and failure to repair on time.

The highway is now filled with huge potholes that look like ponds. The circumstances are so bad that motorists can't distinguish when they're on the road or swimming in craters. The daily trip to work for residents has become a survival exercise, with accidents and breakdowns occurring frequently on a road that was designed to provide safe connectivity.

Especially in the vicinity of the Kalain Bazar area, the situation has deteriorated to its worst. Cars have to crawl over the vandalized stretch, and accidents occur very often.

This sad reality cuts starkly against the BJP-led state government's oft-repeated assertion of having introduced "development" to the Barak Valley. On the ground, Silchar–Kalain road presents a totally different picture.

The residents and commuters have expressed their anger, asking what the government was waiting for. A local remarked, "This road has been like this for the past four years, and for the past six months it has only deteriorated. We even brought this to the notice of Minister Kaushik Rai, but nothing has been done.

They further complained that this is not the only road in such poor condition. Even the Barak National Highway, they said, is just as neglected. With Durga Puja—the festival par excellence in Cachar—towards which time is running, residents worry that the fun might get marred by the state of the roads.

Citizens of Kalain and Barkhola also wondered if their constituency was intentionally overlooked since it is in the opposition. They blamed political prejudice as the possible reason why the BJP government has left these roads undeveloped.

For the present, the Silchar–Kalain road is a stark contrast between the promises of development and the daily ordeal of the people of Barak Valley.

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