DIBRUGARH: The NH-37 passing through Dibrugarh town faced a major crisis at the Naliapool area when a blockage in the Dibrugarh Town Protection (DTP) drain caused unprecedented waterlogging, leading to chaos and panic among residents.
The incident, which occurred near the Naina Cinema Hall around 1:15 pm, left several localities including Gangapara area and AT Road submerged within half an hour, despite the absence of rainfall. The situation prompted local residents to stage protests against the authorities. Mayor Saikat Patra and other district officials arrived to take stock of the situation. The municipal workers were directed to dig the busy highway and clear the blockage in the DTP drain. With the help of excavators, the road was excavated and the blockage was removed.
However, the road closure for restoration work will impact traffic movement on NH-37 at Naliapool (near Naina Cinema) until the repairs are completed. Traffic has been diverted through other routes.
“The sudden waterlogging at Naliapool area was a result of a blockage in the DTP drain. We took immediate action to address the issue and restore normalcy as soon as possible. However, the road will remain close until restoration work is completed,” an official said.
A five-member central team from various departments of the central government will be visiting the flood-affected area of Dibrugarh district from Thursday onwards. After arriving Dibrugarh on Thursday afternoon, the team first visited the Tengakhat Hathi bondha Ghumtal embankment site in the district. The embankment was breached in the recent flood. The restoration work of the embankment is currently going on.
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