SONAMURA: Pilgrims visiting the banks of the Gomati river at Suisgate in Sonamura’s Boitali area to perform pinda daan and tarpan rituals for their ancestors are being forced to risk their safety and dignity due to a complete lack of infrastructure, according to local sources.
The concrete ghat that once served the area was destroyed during recent floods and swept into the riverbed. Despite the passage of considerable time, no repair or reconstruction work has reportedly been undertaken, forcing pilgrims of all ages to descend to the river along a broken, slippery bank — raising serious risk of accidents.
Locals also point to the absence of basic amenities: no shed for elderly pilgrims to rest, no restrooms, and no changing facilities. Women, who are required to bathe in the river as part of the ritual, are said to be forced to bathe and change in the open, causing them acute discomfort.
Residents have expressed strong resentment over what they describe as continued administrative indifference to the site’s condition.