Dhubri, Feb. 7: With the construction of the 32-km Hatsinghimari-Mancachar Road which had been lying in a deplorable condition for years, the lifeline of South Salmara Mancachar sub-division, under Dhubri district has been restored.

The road will connect the border villages with the Hatsinghimari sub-divisional headquarters and serve as a vital inter-state link with the Garo Hills of Meghalaya via Gorobada.

In view of the strategic geographical location of the sub-division and its proximity to Bangladesh, there have been consistent demands for the improvement of roads and bridges in border villages connecting Hatsinghimari to Mancachar road.

An official of the Mancachar development block said in view of growing incidents of abductions, trans-border smuggling, robberies and infiltration from across the border, the state governments and the Centre are laying stress on construction of roads and bridges to connect all border villages with the main PWD roads. This will improve accessibility and help in development of rural areas.

The Mancachar development block under Dhubri district is one of the six international development blocks where an effort is being made to construct all bridges and roads connecting BSF border outposts and fringe villages of the development blocks. A total of 14 blocks were declared international border development blocks.

Apart from a regular flow of funds, the local area development fund is being spent on major and important development works.

The South Salmara- Mancachar sub-division of Dhubri district shares 42 km (out of a total of 134 km) of the Indo-Bangla border with Bangladesh along the north of Dhubri district. Besides the surface border, Dhubri also shares a 10-km riverine border with Bangladesh.

S.M. Akbar of Hatsinghimari said apart from improvement and construction of various roads and bridges, construction of this stretch is the most important work done in recent years. Earlier, it took nearly two-and-a-half hours to cover this stretch. Now it takes only 30 minutes.

?Accessibility to the interior of the border villages had been a big problem. Till a few years back, the roads of Pipulbari village were inaccessible. But construction of Hatsinghimari-Mancachar main road and later construction of the Diara-Pipulbari road ended the woes of commuters,? said Mansoor Ali of Pipulbari village.

A source said construction of pucca roads from Fakirganjghat to Sadur Tilla, construction of roads from New Fekamari to South Bhurakata, Gazarikandi to Pipulbari Bazar, Bagher Char to Chirakhowa village, construction of embankments from NEC road to Boirjhora via Tingharipara upto Karipara and from Kokradanga ME school to Fulerchar and various other projects have been completed.

Mancachar legislator Husnira Begum was instrumental in expediting the schemes. She said among the major work undertaken this year, most projects have either been completed or are nearing completion.

Apart from construction of roads and bridges in the border villages in the sub-division, construction of 100-bed hospital at Hatsinghimari had beencompleted.