Even after 60 years of independence, people living in Chapanala area of Nagaon district have been deprived of common facilities. The 13-km Chapanala road which is said to be the lifeline of the people, is now in a dilapidated state. The local people have been demanding the authorities to repair the road considering the plights of the students and other communities, but unfortunately they have turned a blind eye.
This is a perennial problem for the people in the area. Moreover, during the rainy season due to poor conditions of the bridges, the bus operators do not operate their services causing major hurdles for the common people. "We are completely isolated from the mainland. There are big potholes on the 13-km road. Despite the problem, no government accords priority to our area," Raju Borah, a shopkeeper of the area while presenting a brief sketch on the problems encountered by the people in the locality. He further said that the bus operators have stopped providing services as four bridges on the road were damaged by flood. Interestingly , Chapanala has been identified as an emerging tourist spot in the district and a lot of people visit to witness the famous Champawati water fall. Moreover, a chain of hills have added beauty to the area. "This is an important tourist spot in the State, but considering the road condition no tourist is willing to visit the area," Borah smugly said. He also accused the successive governments of neglecting the Chapanala area. "Our business and developmental activities have come to a grinding halt because of the road. We have submitted several memoranda, but in vain," the disappointed shopkeeper added. Naba Das , a leading citizen of the area echoing the view has criticized the State Government for its apathy to carry out developmental work in Chapanala. "Our students are facing severe hardships. Considering the plight of the students, the authorities should take urgent steps in this regard, " he said. Debo Das and Sunil Murmu too have expressed disappointment over the lackadaisical attitude of the government. According to them the people of the area have remained cut off from the mainland in view of poor condition of the road. "If any emergency arises, we have to face serious problems," they unequivocally said. It is worth mentioning that Chapanala has already been declared as an eco-tourism spot in Nagaon for having bountiful natural resources. But, the prevailing road condition and poor infrastructure, facilities are not conducive to woo any tourist into the area. "Our demand is that the main link road should be repaired at the earliest so that the people can avail smooth transportation service," the duo observed.
