The Garo Students’ Union (GSU) and Federation of Achik Freedom (FAF) of the Chibinang regional units undertook repairs today on the dilapidated sections of the road between the villages of Chibinang and Dadenggre, one of the more important lifelines for those living in the area.
The road in question is the shortest route between the two places but is almost impossible to travel on due to the huge potholes that dot the entire stretch. While the road is being repaired in stretches, it is yet to be completed, which has led to residents being denied a huge market for their horticultural products.
The villages between Chibinang and Dadenggre are known for their production of juicy pineapples and commercially farmed betel nuts and black pepper. Many in the region have lamented the non-prioritization of development of the road as it has led farmers to depend on nearby Chibinang as a market for its farm produce.
Members of the two NGOs used stone dust procured from various local stone crushers and themselves filled up the potholes on the road even as the Public Works Department and the contractor in question have appeared to turn a blind eye to required repair work.
“We undertook the repairs by ourselves as we are the ones using the road and it was a nightmare to use. Many parts are still non-traversable due to the size of the potholes. The department in question and the contractor should be looking at this instead of us but it seems they have forgotten their duties to the common man,” said Amit Marak, the GSU unit President.