Dibrugarh's Long-Awaited Shortcut Road Finally Takes Shape
A twenty-five-year-old dream is now becoming a reality in Dibrugarh. Construction has officially started on a new shortcut road that will directly connect Dibrugarh city to Dibrugarh University. This project promises to dramatically change daily travel for hundreds of students and local residents.
Transforming the Daily Commute
The new 1.5-kilometer stretch will replace a current 8-kilometer circuitous route. Students currently must travel via Amolapatty Chariali and the busy NH-37 highway. Heavy traffic often slows this journey to nearly thirty minutes.
The new road will reduce travel distance to just 1.5 kilometers. Commute time will drop to only a few minutes. This change will also ease significant traffic congestion on NH-37.
Project Launch and Timeline
State Power Minister and local MLA Prasanta Phukan officially flagged off the project work on Sunday. He announced a tight deadline for completion. Authorities aim to finish the road and make it fully operational by March 31.
The estimated project cost is Rs 1.5 crore. It will pass through the scenic Jalan South Tea Estate. The road will link West Milan Nagar's Nagabari area, known as Q-Lane, directly to the university campus.
A Vision Decades in the Making
The concept for this direct link through the tea gardens is not new. Minister Phukan revealed the project's long history during the launch ceremony.
"The plan to construct this road was originally conceptualised twenty-five years ago," Phukan stated. "It happened during the 2001 Assam Sahitya Sabha convention held right here in Dibrugarh. However, for various reasons, the project remained only on paper for decades."
He explained that the project is now moving forward under the Mukhya Mantri Unnata Pakkipath Nirman Aachani (MMUPPNA) scheme. State regulations allow up to five percent of tea garden land to be diverted for alternative public purposes. This provision finally paved the way for the vital infrastructure.
More Than Just a Road: An Ecological Corridor
The project is designed as both a transportation link and an ecological corridor. The road will be thirty feet wide. Officials plan extensive plantation drives along both sides.
"This will not just be a road of bitumen and concrete, it will be a green canopy," Phukan shared. He detailed an aesthetic and environmental plan for the stretch.
The plan includes:
- Planting Nahor (Indian Rose Chestnut) saplings on both sides, spaced ten feet apart.
- Adding indigenous fruit-bearing trees like Leteku (Baccaurea motleyana), Poniol (Flacourtia jangomas), and guava.
These plantings aim to enhance local biodiversity and create a pleasant environment for all commuters.
Benefits for Students and the Community
For university students, the new road promises substantial practical benefits. It will bridge the gap between the city's main residential hub and its premier educational institution.
Students can expect major savings in:
- Time: Commutes reduced from half an hour to minutes.
- Fuel: Shorter distance means less petrol or diesel consumption.
- Expenses: Lower transportation costs overall.
Minister Phukan expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for the project's swift approval. He assured that work would proceed swiftly to meet the March deadline. The community now watches as a quarter-century vision finally moves from paper to pavement.
