STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: A section of the land mafia has encroached upon valuable land along the national highway near Gauhati University. The illegal construction of a concrete wall has raised serious concerns among residents, particularly those of No. 10 Mula Gabharu Hostel, Gyandabiram Baruah Hostel No. 9, and Jyotiprasad Agarwala Hostel No. 8. This encroachment threatens the safety and security of these university hostels.
Despite the encroachment happening right under the university administration’s nose, authorities have yet to take decisive action. The encroached land, plot number 44, lies in a strategically important area between three university hostels and the Gauhati University bypass that connects Satmile from Jalukbari to the university.
Over the past several days, the land mafia has been freely advancing their encroachment. The water-carrying drain from the university to the national highway is likely the only reason the land mafia hasn’t fully taken over the area. However, this has not stopped them from advancing their encroachment, which poses an imminent threat to the nearby hostels.
Residents and the concerned public are puzzled and frustrated by the lack of action from the university authorities. One of the workers at Gauhati University questions why the administration has not sought intervention from the district authorities or the police to remove the encroachers.
One of the students from the hostel, Arindam Das, said that last year, university authorities installed signboards marking the area as university property to deter illegal occupation. However, the mafia cut through the robust steel railings installed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for road safety, removed the signboards, and disposed of them. Currently, only two or three signboards remain intact.
The silence and inaction from the university administration are alarming, especially given the significant threat posed to the hostel residents. The Jalukbari-Satmile link, which is on university land, is particularly vulnerable to these encroachments.
The urgency for immediate intervention by the university and local authorities is of utmost importance to safeguard the university’s property and ensure the safety of its residents. The academic officers and concerned citizens are calling for prompt and effective measures to curb the illegal activities of the land mafia and protect Gauhati University’s interests.
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