Silchar: Residents of Meherpur along the Silchar Medical Road staged a unique protest on Wednesday against the long-neglected condition of the road, demanding its immediate and permanent reconstruction.

As part of the demonstration, the protesters erected a symbolic structure in the name of the Executive Engineer and offered flowers and a traditional gamosa as a symbolic tribute to express their frustration over the authorities’ alleged inaction.

The residents alleged that despite repeatedly bringing the matter to the attention of the concerned department, no effective measures have been taken to repair the road. They claimed that following earlier protests, instead of carrying out proper reconstruction, officials merely dumped soil brought from a nearby river. With the onset of the monsoon, the soil turned into thick mud, further worsening the condition of the road.

According to the protesters, the road is now riddled with large potholes, muddy stretches, and waterlogged sections, causing immense inconvenience to pedestrians, commuters, patients, ambulances, and other vehicles. They said the poor condition of the road has become a daily hardship for local residents and those travelling to nearby healthcare facilities.

The protesters demanded a permanent solution instead of temporary patchwork, urging the authorities to reconstruct the road without further delay and put an end to the prolonged suffering of the public.

The unusual protest attracted considerable attention, with many passers-by stopping to watch and record the demonstration on their mobile phones. However, there was no immediate response from the concerned department regarding the residents’ demands.