04-06-2025
Residents stage mock fishing stir on crater-ridden Sivasagar road
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Dibrugarh: Frustrated by years of neglect, locals on Wednesday staged a unique protest on the dilapidated Dhodar Ali Road at Samaguri, on the outskirts of Nazira town in Sivasagar district.
Armed with fishing nets and traditional bamboo scoops (locally known as jakoi), demonstrators waded through waterlogged craters, symbolically 'fishing' in the potholes to highlight the road's appalling condition.
The road, riddled with deep potholes and craters, has turned into a muddy, nearly impassable stretch after recent rains, disrupting daily life. Students, patients, commuters, and business owners have been struggling to navigate the hazardous path, which has become a hotspot for accidents.
The mock fishing demonstration was a satirical yet powerful way to draw attention to the authorities' inaction.
"We brought our fishing equipment because this road has become more like a pond than a road," said Rupali Hazarika, a local resident participating in the protest.
The Dhodar Ali Road was supposed to be developed under the state govt's Asom Mala Scheme, aimed at improving road infrastructure. However, after contractors abandoned the project midway, the stretch was left in worse condition than before.
"The contractors did some half-hearted work and left. Now, the road is full of ditches, and even ambulances struggle to pass. Every day, bikes skid, cars get stuck, and patients suffer. We have been pleading for repairs for years, but nothing has been done. The road is now more like a pond," said Keshab Bora, a local resident.
The protesters demanded that authorities either complete the abandoned project or undertake immediate repairs to make the road usable.
