Gaurav Gogoi demands urgent review of Jorhat flyover project amid community concerns

Gaurav Gogoi, Member of Parliament from Jorhat, has urged Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to reconsider the proposed elevated flyover project on AT Road, citing significant community concerns.

The flyover, planned to connect Baruah Chariali and Bhogdoi Bridge, has sparked opposition from local businesses and residents. "The specific stretch of AT Road where the flyover is proposed encompasses a traditional wholesale and retail market that has long been an essential economic hub," Gogoi stated in his letter dated November 21, 2024.

The Congress Deputy Leader in Lok Sabha expressed particular concern about the project's impact on local shopkeepers. "Constructing a flyover here would inevitably lead to the displacement of these shopkeepers, resulting in the loss of their business premises and, consequently, their primary source of income," the letter emphasised.

The project faces additional challenges as "most of the banks, government and private offices, and places of worship would remain on the road under the proposed flyover," potentially creating severe traffic congestion and operational difficulties for daily commuters.

Despite the previous acknowledgement of concerns raised by Digholi Pukhuri residents, Gogoi noted that "the repeated protests by the people of Jorhat regarding this flyover have been completely disregarded." This marks his second appeal to the Chief Minister, following an earlier communication in September 2024.

The MP has requested a pause in the project for reassessment, emphasising the need for a solution that balances infrastructure development with community interests.