Following intense public outcry and organized civic monitoring, the PHE and AMRUT water supply authorities have finally initiated repair work on damaged underground pipelines across the Greater Malugram area, paving the way for the long-delayed restoration of the Itkhola–Malugram Road.
Despite the sanctioning of substantial government funds for the comprehensive upgrading of the crucial arterial route, physical road construction by the Public Works Department (PWRD) had come to a complete standstill due to extensive underground water leakage.
40 Leakages and Alleged Irregularities in AMRUT Scheme
An on-ground investigation by Northeast Update revealed that the sub-surface layer of the Itkhola–Malugram stretch had turned into a waterlogged trench, primarily caused by at least 40 severe leakages across pipelines managed by the AMRUT project, Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department, and the Silchar Municipal Corporation (SMC).
Local residents and civic observers alleged that severe anomalies, poor execution, and lack of quality control during the initial laying of the AMRUT water pipelines led to widespread pipe ruptures soon after pressure testing began. Continuing bituminous road work over such saturated soil conditions would have resulted in rapid structural failure of the new pavement.
Citizen Mobilization and the 7-Point Charter
Frustrated by departmental inaction and the lack of inter-agency coordination, residents of Itkhola, Malugram, and Ghoniwala convened a general public meeting on July 21, establishing the Greater Malugram Road Construction Monitoring Committee.
The committee formally submitted a 7-point memorandum to the Executive Engineer of the PWD Silchar & Udarbond Territorial Road Division, as well as PHE authorities. Their core demands include:
- Urgent Pipeline Rectification: Complete repair of all 40 water leakages prior to laying the final bituminous surface.
- Hybrid Pavement Design: Constructing the main carriageway with bituminous surfacing and using Interlocking Concrete Block Pavement (ICBP) for shoulders to allow future utility maintenance without damaging the main road.
- Pre-Durga Puja Deadline: Accelerating construction on a war footing so that the high-density traffic corridor is fully operational before the upcoming Durga Puja festival.
Department Yields to Public Demand
Faced with mounting public pressure and structured advocacy from the monitoring committee, official machinery moved into action on Friday. Workers were deployed to excavate the road surface and seal the ruptured AMRUT pipelines.
“We welcome the initiation of pipeline repairs, but our monitoring will continue,” a representative of the monitoring committee stated. “The PWD must immediately follow up with roadside drainage construction and pavement laying so that commuters get relief well before Durga Puja.”
The breakdown of coordination between PHE, AMRUT, and PWD highlights systemic flaws in urban infrastructure execution. While public vigilance has successfully pushed authorities to repair the underground network, seamless inter-departmental synergy remains essential to deliver a durable, flood-resilient road for Silchar.
