SABROOM, June 20: Daily passengers and auto drivers commuting to and from Sabroom railway station have raised serious concerns over the deplorable condition of the road connecting it to the Sabroom-Agartala National Highway, questioning the state government’s claims of being people-friendly.
The stretch, running through Damdama Shastri Colony and spanning roughly three-and-a-half to four kilometres, has reportedly remained neglected since the station became operational, despite being regularly used even by senior administrative officials. Locals allege that overgrown undergrowth has narrowed the road on both sides, raising the risk of head-on collisions, while the complete absence of streetlights forces auto drivers to navigate it at considerable personal risk.
A concerned citizen further alleged that rubber plantations flanking the road have rendered it perpetually dark, making it unsafe even during daytime, let alone at night. Residents also flagged growing incidents of drug-related crime and chain-snatching in the state, warning that the poorly lit, secluded stretch could become a hotspot for such activity. Passengers travelling on the Kanchanjunga Express, which arrives at Sabroom late at night, are said to be particularly vulnerable.
Locals have demanded urgent police patrolling and installation of streetlights or solar lights along the road to ensure passenger safety.