Flyover Demand Committee Holds Protest in Silchar, Former MLA Dilip Paul Calls Situation ‘Extremely Unfortunate’

The Silchar Flyover Implementation Demand Committee held a protest in the city on Tuesday (December 16), calling upon the general public, as well as NGOs and organisations in Silchar, to support the long-pending demand for the construction of a flyover. Alongside the protest, the committee organised a mass signature campaign to demonstrate public backing for the project, given that a major section stands against the flyover, fearing business losses.

Among the many participants was former Silchar MLA Dilip Kumar Paul, who termed it “extremely unfortunate” that people had to take to the streets to demand the construction of the proposed flyover. He said such protests should not be necessary for a development project meant to serve the city’s larger interests.

The protest was held at the pedestal of martyr Khudiram Bose’s statue, where office-bearers of the Flyover Implementation Demand Committee appealed for cooperation to accelerate Silchar’s overall development through the implementation of the flyover project. Addressing the gathering, Paul said that while there is a saying that every good initiative faces numerous obstacles, those hurdles must be overcome to reach the goal.

Recalling the origins of the project, Paul said, “Back in 2015, before the municipal polls, we in the BJP included the flyover in our manifesto for Silchar. At that time, Congress made fun of it. They even held a press meet and called it a ‘Stairway to Heaven’, like Ravana’s dream, which remained unfulfilled. Today, those opposing the flyover are district-level members of Congress. They do not want progress. Along with them are a few Leftist leaders”.

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Paul quoted Renowned author Nirad C. Chaudhuri to say, “He proposed a theory, in the book titled Atmaghati Bangalee, meaning ‘The Self-Destructive Bengali’. These are the self-destructive Bengalis.”Highlighting the disparity in infrastructure development, the former MLA pointed out that Guwahati currently has around 25 to 26 flyovers, with work underway on several more, while Silchar—Assam’s second-largest city—continues to face resistance over a major development project. He described the situation as deeply disappointing.

Addressing concerns of traders and business owners, Paul acknowledged that some establishments might suffer losses due to the project. He said he would personally request Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma to ensure that affected businesses are taken care of so that they do not suffer extreme losses.

In support of the flyover, participants from various linguistic communities, including students, took part in the signature campaign. The Flyover Implementation Demand Committee urged the government to extend cooperation so that the foundation stone of the proposed flyover in Silchar can be laid at the earliest, fulfilling what they described as a long-cherished public aspiration.