Assam: PPFA calls for reopening historic Lakshminath Bezbarua Road in Guwahati 

The Patriotic People’s Front Assam (PPFA) has urged authorities to reopen the Lakshminath Bezbarua (LNB) Road, a key route connecting Guwahati Railway Station with Nehru Park and Gauhati Town Club on MG Road. Named after Sahityarathi Lakshminath Bezbarua, a pioneer of Assamese literature, the road holds both historical and practical significance but has remained inaccessible for years.  

The forum expressed concern that the closure has disrupted daily commuting and hampered access for heavy vehicles heading to vital locations such as the Reserve Bank of India office, the Army Transit Camp, and the region’s busiest railway station.  

Once a bustling route, the area near the Gauhati Town Club point, adjacent to Judges Field and Nehru Park, was transformed into a food court with an underground parking lot in the 1990s. However, the food court, now abandoned, has become a hotspot for antisocial activities. The PPFA highlighted the poor maintenance of the parking facility, describing it as dark and unhygienic despite its regular use by car owners.  

In its statement, the PPFA proposed demolishing the defunct food court to restore the original road or constructing an elevated pathway to allow seamless movement for vehicles and pedestrians. The forum also called on Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Urban Affairs Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah to address the issue urgently, rectifying what it termed a “past error” in closing such a significant road.  

LNB Road, dedicated to the author of Assam’s State anthem, 'O Mor Aponar Desh', remains a symbol of cultural pride. The PPFA emphasised the need to revive the road for public use, blending modern technology with urban planning to restore its importance in the city’s infrastructure.