Guwahati Mail

Dangerous planting of trees on busy roads
This is to protest to the Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup Metro against the indiscriminate planting of trees in the middle of busy roads and thoroughfares, a senseless decision which is causing accidents and leading to loss of lives in certain parts of the city. Not only does such a move reflect very poorly on the mental faculties of the people behind it, but it also betrays an utter lack of concern for public safety. From the point of view of common sense, it is absurd as to why anybody would want to prevent the driver of a speeding vehicle from having a clear view of the adjacent segment of the road ahead of him, knowing fully well that such a step would only serve to obscure the driver’s vision.

Yet, this is precisely what the trees (most of them have grown quite tall due to zero maintenance) on the dividers are doing. Apart from the fact that there is practically no fencing around them, numerous openings have been provided for, on the dividers. As a combined result of these factors, the drivers on the highway (with speeds of not less than 80-90 kmph), particularly on the Khanapara-Jalukbari stretch, find it impossible to avoid a collision with any object, human being or animal, that darts out from the other side of the road through one of the many ‘outlets’ on the divider.

The fact that I refer to here is not some remote hypothesis, but a terrible reality which has already taken a heavy toll of both human as well as animal lives in places such as Lokhra, Balaji, Garchuk, etc, on the Khanapara-Jalukbari Highway. But ministers, bureaucrats and other members of the ‘top brass’ who regularly ‘fly’ on the same route have failed to notice this single most important reason behind accidents in this ‘highway of blood’. And now, strangely and shockingly enough, the same ‘highway model’ is being sought to be replicated in certain other parts of the city (for example, near the Six-Mile Over-Bridge)! Surely this is the height of ridiculousness!

In view of the grim situation and even grimmer possibilities referred to above, we request the Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup Metro to take immediate steps to prevent any further loss of innocent lives which this dangerous planting of trees has brought about. Be it on the plea of ignorance or arrogance, we must not allow any compromises to be made in issues of public safety. – Arunava Gupta, Rukmininagar, Dispur

City buses
It is a matter of dismay that city buses keep waiting for a long time at bus stops and it is really troublesome for the office goers as well as school and college students. They wait in one bus stop for about 15-20 minutes, as a result of which the public has to suffer a great deal. In spite of legal provisions related to this offence, this practice still continues. Therefore, the government should take certain measures to stop this action of the bus drivers.

Buses are meant for the public, but if the public is irritated instead of being facilitated, then there is no utility of bus service. A rule should, therefore, be made mentioning the time a bus can wait at every stop, so that both the public as well as the bus drivers are not troubled. – Sreyashi Sharma ASSAM TRIBUNE