Students’ Protest Secures Written Assurance for Repair of AU–SMC Road

way2barak, August 5: Hundreds of general students staged a peaceful protest near the main gate of Assam University on Tuesday, demanding the immediate repair of the severely damaged road connecting Assam University to Silchar Medical College. The protest began at around 8:40 a.m. and continued until 2:00 p.m., ending only after the district administration provided a written assurance regarding the commencement of repair work.

The students alleged that despite submitting several memorandums to the concerned authorities over the past months, no concrete action had been taken to address the deteriorating condition of the road, which is used daily by thousands of commuters, including patients, ambulances, students, faculty members and local residents. Frustrated by the continued inaction, the students organized the protest to press for immediate intervention.

Student leader Swapnodeep Sen said, “This is not a political demand but a basic public necessity. It is shameful that students have to come onto the streets demanding a safe and motorable road. This road connects Assam University with Silchar Medical College and is used by thousands every day.”

Another student leader, Utsav Singh, questioned the administration’s accountability. “Several memorandums were submitted to the authorities, but there was no response. Why should the administration remain unaccountable when the public continues to suffer?” he said.

Following several rounds of discussion between representatives of the students and district officials, the administration finally issued a written commitment. According to the assurance, temporary restoration work on the affected stretch will commence from August 9, 2026, and is expected to be completed within ten days. The administration further assured that permanent repair work would be undertaken after the sanction of the proposed estimate under the PM-DevINE Scheme for the stretch from Silchar Medical College to Irongmara.

The protest was led by student leaders Deboraj Das, Arpan Chakraborty, Soumen Paul, Suraj Acharjya, Tanmoy Acharjee, Shubham Roy, Kaushik Das, Mukund Kumar, Sudeshna Dey, Swapnodeep Sen, Utsav Singh and several other general students.

While welcoming the written assurance, the students said they would continue to monitor the progress of the work and ensure that the administration fulfils its commitment within the promised timeframe. The protest concluded peacefully after the written assurance was handed over by the district administration.