Parimal Suklabaidya’s Maiden Speech in Lok Sabha, Calls for Urgent Road Repairs and Mahasadak

In his maiden speech to the Lok Sabha, Parimal Suklabidya, the newly elected Member of Parliament for Silchar, delivered a striking address that brought attention to several critical issues affecting his constituency. A veteran BJP leader, Suklabidya made his debut speech in Parliament by addressing the pressing issue of road infrastructure in and around Silchar.

Suklabidya began by expressing his gratitude to the Speaker of the House, Dilip Saikia, who was presiding over the session. He then highlighted the long-standing problem of inadequate connectivity between Silchar and the rest of India, stating, “I come from Silchar and from 1947 up to 2018, the road connecting Silchar, which went via Meghalaya, the NH6, was just a single-lane road. The 348-kilometre stretch became a double lane only after Modi Ji came to power and with Nitin Ji’s (Gadkari) work. Earlier it would take 3 days to cover this stretch. After 2014, the time was reduced to 7-8 hours. This road is not just for Silchar but is the gateway to Mizoram, Tripura, and Manipur. Vehicles for these three states pass through Silchar.”

Addressing the issue of frequent landslides due to the hilly terrain of Northeast India, Suklabidya said, “Due to the hilly tracks of North East, there are frequent landslides during the monsoons. The road gets disrupted and in today’s condition, it can be said that the road is not there at all. From Jowai (Meghalaya) to Silchar now it takes 2 days, and small cars can’t traverse these roads. Some portions of the road are maintained by NHIDCL and some by NHAI. Through you, Speaker, I want to request Nitin Ji, the architect of India’s road infrastructure, to kindly streamline the road repair works for this section.”

Regarding the unfinished Mahasadak project, Suklabidya noted, “The other road that connects Silchar was sanctioned by Vajpayee Ji (former Prime Minister). He named Silchar to define the East-West Corridor, which was to connect Silchar (in Assam) with Saurashtra (in Gujarat). Before 2014, the work started during Vajpayee Ji’s time. For 10 years, the work was halted, but after Modi Ji came to power, it resumed. The work is almost complete now, with only 30-40 kilometres remaining. If the road work from Haflong to Silchar is finished, reaching Silchar will be much easier. I request our PM and Gadkari Ji to look into the matter and expedite the completion of this project.”

Suklabidya also drew attention to the poor condition of roads within Silchar town, stating, “The stretch of road within Silchar city is only 2 kilometres long, and the work is overseen by NHIDCL. This year, excessive monsoon rains have damaged the roads. I urge Nitin Ji to complete the road repairs before Durga Puja.” His speech in Hindi gathered quite some claps and applause.