Barak Bani Dainik
Massive expenditure claimed in the name of repairs during the 2024–25 financial year, while the Malidhar–Badarpur stretch of the national highway remains riddled with potholes, triggering allegations of large-scale corruption.
Barak Bani Digital Desk, Silchar, 31 May: One of the most important lifelines of the Barak Valley is National Highway 6 (NH-6), stretching from Malidhar to Badarpur. Every day, thousands of passengers, traders, students, ambulances, and goods-laden vehicles travel along this route. However, the current condition of the highway presents a stark and disturbing contrast to its importance. Despite claims of expenditure amounting to crores of rupees, the road’s condition has left people asking a simple yet pressing question: “Where is the road?”
A controversy has erupted across the Barak Valley following the disclosure of information obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. According to the information made public, a total of ₹15.66 crore was reportedly spent between 2024 and September 2025 on repairing and restoring damaged stretches of NH-6 from Malidhar to Badarpur. Yet, the present state of the road raises serious concerns regarding administrative accountability and the transparency of public expenditure.
Known as the gateway to the Barak Valley, this highway has now become a virtual death trap waiting for accidents to happen. Large potholes have developed at numerous locations, including Malidhar, Kalain, Digarkhal, and Badarpur. In some stretches, the road has virtually disappeared. During the monsoon season, these potholes become filled with water, making it extremely difficult for drivers to distinguish between the road surface and dangerous craters.
Local residents allege that despite repeated demands for permanent repairs over the years, the authorities have failed to take effective action. Instead, they claim that temporary and substandard repair works have repeatedly been used to conceal the seriousness of the problem. The situation is reportedly most alarming in the Kalain market area, where traders and residents say people are forced to travel through severely damaged roads every day. Minor accidents have become a routine occurrence there.
Allegations have also surfaced that following extensive media coverage of the deteriorating road conditions, hurried repair works were carried out before Durga Puja. According to local residents, approximately one kilometre of road in the Kalain market area was resurfaced with poor-quality bitumen under the cover of darkness and during rainfall. However, the repairs reportedly lasted only a few days. Local sources claim that the newly laid surface began deteriorating within 15 to 20 days, leaving the road in an even worse condition than before.
This has prompted serious questions regarding the quality of the work carried out and the role of officials responsible for monitoring and certifying the repairs. The issue came to light after concerned citizen Jayanta Goswami of Digarkhal filed an RTI application seeking detailed information from the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) regarding expenditure on repairs along the Malidhar–Badarpur stretch of NH-6. The information disclosed in response to his application has generated widespread public debate throughout the Barak Valley.
According to the documents obtained through RTI, a total of ₹15.66 crore was spent during 2024–25 on repairing and restoring damaged sections of the highway. However, the disclosure has sparked widespread outrage, surprise, and skepticism among the public because the present condition of the road tells a very different story.
The massive potholes, damaged surfaces, waterlogging, and severe traffic difficulties have made it difficult for local residents to believe that such a substantial amount of public money was actually spent on the road. Many are now asking: if ₹15.66 crore was indeed spent, where is the visible evidence of the development?
The RTI disclosures have reignited debate over the transparency of highway maintenance projects, the quality of the work undertaken, and the proper utilization of public funds. Questions are also being raised about the role of the departments and agencies responsible for implementing the project.
Speaking to the media, Jayanta Goswami questioned why the road remains in such a deplorable condition if ₹15.66 crore was genuinely spent on repairs. If the road has not been repaired, then where has the money gone? he asked. He alleged that funds allocated for development projects often fail to be properly implemented at the ground level, leaving ordinary citizens deprived of the benefits that are promised to them. He further pointed out that without the RTI disclosure, the public would never have known that such a large amount of money had allegedly been spent on repairing the highway.
The absence of any detailed explanation from the concerned departments or the administration has further intensified public concerns. Many residents argue that if the work was carried out according to prescribed standards, then project-wise details, the names of the contractors involved, quality-control reports, and complete expenditure records should be made public.
They maintain that the money involved belongs to taxpayers and that citizens have every right to know how and where public funds have been spent. Demands for an independent investigation into the project are now growing across the Barak Valley. Social organizations, concerned citizens, and members of the public are calling for a high-level technical and financial audit of the entire project. They believe it is essential to determine how much work was actually completed, how much money was spent, and whether the quality of the work met the required standards.
The NH-6 repair project has become the centre of a growing controversy, with serious questions being raised about the role of NHIDCL and the concerned administrative authorities.
Today, the people of the Barak Valley are united in asking one question: if ₹15.66 crore has indeed been spent, where are the results? The present condition of NH-6 between Malidhar and Badarpur highlights a glaring contradiction between official claims of development and the reality on the ground. While crores of rupees have reportedly been spent, the daily suffering of thousands of commuters shows little sign of improvement. Public dissatisfaction continues to grow, along with demands for greater accountability.
The people of the Barak Valley now expect the concerned authorities to break their silence and place the facts before the public. Transparency regarding the actual status of the repair work, detailed expenditure records, and complete project implementation reports is considered essential by many observers. At the same time, there are growing demands that if any evidence of irregularities, negligence, substandard work, or misuse of public funds is uncovered during an investigation, those responsible should face strict administrative and legal action.
For many, this issue extends beyond the condition of a single highway. It concerns the proper use of taxpayers’ money, the credibility of government development projects, and the broader question of administrative accountability. As a result, the entire Barak Valley is now closely watching the next steps taken by the authorities.
