Jorhat, Feb. 14: Assam water resources minister Rajib Lochan Pegu today launched the construction of eight pucca roads in Majuli as part of infrastructure development on the island, which is vying for the World Heritage Site tag this year.

The island, criss-crossed with water channels, has only three major roads — Majuli Road, North Lakhimpur-Kamalabari Road and Pohumara-Garmur-Jengraimukh-Halidhibari road.

Parts of the roads were damaged by heavy floods a few years ago and will now be remade under the new plan.

Pegu told The Telegraph over phone that the government was giving much importance to all-round development and protection of the Brahmaputra island, which has witnessed increased tourist flow from within the country and abroad in recent years. He said improving road connectivity was part of the plan to boost tourism.

After Majuli made its claim on the tag of the World Heritage Site a few years back, tourists from across the world started coming to the island in large numbers to see the unique art and culture practised in the xatras, along with the several indigenous communities living here. “We are trying to make Majuli more attractive for tourists,” the minister said.

He said the roads were expected to be completed within three to four months, before the onset of monsoons when annual floods hit the island.

He said an amount of Rs 15.68 crore had been released by the state government for the roads from two heads, most of which will be link roads from the villages to the major roads.

An amount of Rs 15.21 crore had been released under the Scheduled Caste Component Plan while Rs 47 lakh had been released under the entry tax from urban areas head.

Pegu said the opening of the first RCC bridge at Doriyadubi over the Doriya river on the island last year by chief minister Tarun Gogoi had made lot of difference as two important places, Garmur and Kamalabari, got connected. “The bridge saves much time for people who earlier had to cross the river on boats,” he said, adding that the new roads would be covering 23.45km.

Majuli subdivisional officer (civil) Krishna Baruah said the connectivity within the island was expected to expand to a large extent with the construction of the new roads and would benefit local people and tourists.

The new pucca roads to be made are Dhekiajuli-Mohkina Road, Chilakola Road, Balichapori-Balijan Road, Bongaon-Borpomua Road, Kakatibari Road, a part of the Majuli road, and the subway bridge over Tuni river. She said the road connecting Kamalabari bus stand with the river ghat will also be made into a pucca road in the next phase.

Baruah said over the last two months, over 1,500 foreign tourists had visited the island.

She also said the state government had decided to include the first-ever Majuli festival, held last month, on the list of festivals organised by the government annually. The four-day festival was held from January 17.

She said the subdivisional administration had trained a group of 10 bhakats (disciples) of the xatras as tourist guides a few months back.