Assam: NH 315 in Margherita resembles artificial pond as authorities turn a blind eye, public fury mounts

The National Highway 315 (NH-315), passing through Margherita in Assam’s Tinsukia district, has been left in a state of utter disrepair for months, drawing sharp criticism from residents and local organisations. Once a vital arterial road, particularly through the 83rd Margherita Assembly Constituency, the highway now resembles a stretch of artificial ponds—riddled with crater-sized potholes and submerged during rain, making it nearly impassable.

On May 15, the Tinsukia district committee of the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) staged a protest rally demanding urgent repairs to NH-315. Despite the rally—held from Ledo College Road to Ledo Bazaar under the leadership of AJYCP district president Prabin Tamuly and vice-president Kanchan Borah—no visible action has been taken by the authorities.

“The condition of this highway is so deplorable that it’s hard to believe it’s classified as a national highway,” said Kanchan Borah. He highlighted key danger zones including Bargolai Adarsha Vidyalaya, Bargolai railway gate, Ledo-Itakhola stretch, Tirap Colliery, NEFA Tea Factory, Ledo Tea Estate Gate No. 6, and near Ledo railway station, where the road has nearly disintegrated. These stretches are critical as they connect Assam to Arunachal Pradesh.

Locals report that the highway is particularly dangerous for two-wheelers, small vehicles, schoolchildren, patients, and especially pregnant women. Large potholes—some a foot deep—damage vehicles and cause frequent accidents. During monsoon spells, rainwater fills the potholes, blending with the road surface and rendering them invisible, further increasing risk to commuters.

Despite hundreds of daily vehicles plying the route—including commercial trucks, private cars, school vans, and ambulances—no effort has been made by the Assam government, Margherita Co-District Administration, local MLA Bhaskar Sharma, or the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) to repair or even inspect the damage.

Kanchan Borah added that the AJYCP will intensify its agitation unless concrete steps are taken immediately. “We will launch a large-scale protest in Margherita to awaken the deaf ears of the administration,” he warned.