Hailakandi: A large number of people of Lakkicherra village of Lakhipur sub-division in Cachar district are facing a harrowing time owing to the poor condition of roads.

The 8.2km road from Bahadurpur to Nahadurpur bridge via Alubazar (Jirighat and Lakkicherra) was completed within 18 months under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) in 2011. The project, which was started in November 2009, was funded by the District Rural Development Agency. It was executed by the public works department.

The local residents submitted a memorandum to the Lakhipur sub-divisional officer (civil) on Friday, seeking a high-level inquiry into such major damage to the road in so short a time.

A copy of the memorandum, signed by 39 local residents, was submitted to forest, excise and fisheries minister Parimal Suklabaidya. The memorandum alleged that the contractor didn't construct the box culvert as per specification and in lieu of these, he had fitted big hume pipes over nullahs. But because of incessant rain in the past few days, a big stretch of the road was washed away, the memorandum said.

It also alleged that the funds sanctioned for the project were not mentioned on the information board erected beside the road. Both PWD and District Rural Development Agency officials remained tightlipped on this.

A contractor is liable for a project under the PMGSY for five years from the date of the project's completion.

A part of the road was washed away on May 25, while communication was disrupted completely on May 29. MP Sushmita Dev, who adopted Lakkicherra forest village after the general elections in 2014, was not available for comment.