Assam: ATTSA issues 30-day ultimatum for repair of Dirok-Deomali road, warns of indefinite blockade

The Assam Tea Tribes Student Association (ATTSA), Margherita branch, has issued a 30-day deadline to the government for the repair of the dilapidated Dirok-Deomali road. The 15-kilometer stretch, which serves as a vital trade link between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, has remained in a neglected state for over a decade, significantly hampering commerce and daily commutes.  

On Wednesday, an ATTSA delegation inspected the road and raised concerns over the BJP-led government at both state and central levels for failing to address the issue.  

Speaking to the media, Pranjal Baraik, Joint Publicity Secretary of ATTSA's central executive committee, highlighted the plight of the road, which connects Margherita Tea Estate Tiniali in Assam to Deomali in Arunachal Pradesh. Despite serving a population of over 30,000, the road has seen no substantial repair efforts. Baraik criticized former Congress MLA and Cabinet Minister Pradyut Bordoloi, as well as the current BJP MLA Bhaskar Sharma, for their lack of action on the matter.  

Baraik further noted that repeated memorandums submitted to Margherita MLA Bhaskar Sharma, former Dibrugarh MP and Union Minister Rameshwar Teli, and the Margherita Co-District Commissioner have gone unanswered. "This neglect has made life difficult for students, workers, traders, pregnant women, and others who rely on this road for daily transit," he added.  

He accused the BJP-led government of remembering the Tea Tribes only during elections for votes, stating, "This negligence will not be tolerated anymore. If the Dirok-Deomali road is not repaired within 30 days, ATTSA will impose a permanent blockade on this interstate road, disrupting all movement indefinitely."