AT Photo: Uproar during eviction drive in Sonapur
Jorabat, Dec. 17: A proposed ring road connecting Guwahati, Baihata, and Sonapur promises to transform transportation and trade in Assam. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has already intensified survey work in several locations, including Sonapur, to facilitate the project's implementation. While the initiative is aimed at fostering progress, for 20 families of Sonapur village under Sonapur mouza, it spells anguish and despair.
These families, who have been residing in Sonapur for nearly a century, are once again facing the grim reality of eviction. Earlier, the expansion of National Highway 37 (now NH27) had forced them to vacate their ancestral homes. Although they rebuilt their lives in a nearby area, many are still grappling with the aftermath of that displacement, unable to fully restore their living conditions.
Now, the proposed ring road, which cuts through their village, threatens to uproot them yet again. Nearly 15 bighas of land from patta numbers 75, 110, 210, 224, 226, 223, 227, 96, and 78, as well as dag numbers 83, 84, 85, 695, 751, 753, 750, 754, 492, 80, and 82, are set to be acquired for the construction. The villagers, who are still recovering from their first eviction, are now left with the agonising question: where will they go this time?
Speaking to the media, the residents highlighted their plight, stating that they have worked tirelessly to rebuild homes and lives after being displaced once. "Many of us still live in incomplete houses because rebuilding takes time and resources. Now, the thought of starting over again is unbearable," shared a resident.
The villagers also pointed out that vacant and uninhabited land exists toward the eastern side of the village, which could serve as an alternative route for the ring road. They appealed to the authorities concerned to consider this option to avoid displacing the residents who have called this land home for generations.
In a desperate bid to save their homes, the affected families have submitted written appeals to the Sonapur Circle Officer, the Kamrup Metropolitan Deputy Commissioner, the NHAI Project Director, the Chief Minister, the local MLA, and several Union Ministers. Despite their efforts, no resolution has been reached, leaving the residents to face uncertainty.
"The government speaks of progress, but at what cost? We have lived here for nearly 100 years, and yet we are treated as if we do not matter," lamented another resident.
The villagers have urged the authorities to revisit the alignment of the proposed ring road and route it through the vacant lands in the east. Doing so, they argue, would not only protect their homes but also allow the project to proceed without disrupting the lives of those who have already endured one forced eviction.
- By Correspondent
