Correspondent
KOILMATI, Jul 30: Residents of Dhoniram Engti village, situated in Nilip MAC Constituency, have appealed to Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) Chief Executive Member (CEM) Dr. Tuliram Ronghang to urgently address the severe lack of road connectivity that continues to hamper daily life in their area.
The villagers, who carried out self-initiated road repair work today, said that their efforts are driven by desperation, as the village has long suffered from government neglect despite its sizeable population and historic presence. The village is over 100 years old and is home to more than a hundred families, with many more in neighbouring areas facing similar hardships.
“We have a large population, yet no proper roads. This has left our living conditions backward and stagnant, with no visible signs of development,” said one of the villagers during the repair work.
The residents stressed that lack of all-weather road infrastructure is their biggest challenge, particularly during the monsoon season, when waterlogging, deep potholes, mudslides, and slippery paths make it dangerous and difficult for students, patients, the elderly, and daily wage workers to move in and out of the village.
“Our schoolchildren struggle to reach school, patients can’t be taken to hospitals on time, and the elderly fear stepping out during rains. The roads are practically unusable during monsoon,” another resident said.
Led by community members Tenzing Engti, Rupsing Teron, Indra Teron, Dilip Phangcho, Kanson Engti, and Ruplin Engtipi, the villagers said that if their longstanding demand for a pucca (permanent) road is not met before the upcoming state assembly elections, they may be forced to reconsider their political support, especially towards the BJP, which currently holds the seat.
“This is not a luxury we are asking for. Road is a basic need. We appeal to our elected leaders to treat this as a priority issue and act swiftly,” they added.
The villagers have placed their hopes on KAAC CEM Dr. Tuliram Ronghang to intervene and sanction road construction work at the earliest, warning that continued neglect may lead to widespread discontentment in the region.