Reported by Laxman Sharma
Digboi: A Rs 3-crore road project in Digboi has come under scrutiny after all 80 street lights installed along the newly upgraded Digboi–Duliajan link road reportedly became non-functional within weeks of inauguration.
The 780-metre stretch connecting Rastriya Vidyalaya and the Tipam BOD entry point was developed under the Mukhya Mantrir Nagariya Pakipath Nirman Asoni (MMNPPNA) as part of the Digboi Gaurav Path project.
The project included road widening, strengthening, and installation of 80 street lights.
Residents have raised concerns over the sudden failure of the entire lighting system and questioned the quality of the newly completed infrastructure.
Student leader Nikhil Koch alleged irregularities in parts of the road construction. He claimed that sections near the culvert adjoining the Digboi Public Cremation Ground were not constructed as per standards and are already showing signs of damage.
Some residents also alleged that temporary repairs were carried out before inauguration and that defects have since reappeared.
PWD officials rejected the allegations. Assistant Executive Engineer Binod Choubey said the project was executed as per approved specifications.
He added that challenging site conditions, including the presence of old British-era structures along the alignment, required additional engineering work at certain locations.
On the street lights, officials said the failure was due to a technical issue involving power cable capacity, which led to a short circuit.
The department said the matter was reviewed by PWD, the contractor, and Indian Oil Corporation’s Assam Oil Division (IOC AOD), and restoration work is expected to begin soon.
The executing agency, BK Construction, also denied any defect in installation and said the issue was related to power connectivity, not construction quality.
Official documents show that the Executive Engineer of the Digboi and Margherita Territorial Road Division had written to IOC seeking electrification support for the street-light system. In a letter dated January 16, 2026, the department stated that the project was complete and requested power connectivity to make the lighting operational.
The letter also noted that IOC had earlier provided electricity free of cost for the previous street-light system and requested similar support for the new installation.
A senior IOC refinery official said the corporation had already provided the required power connection and was not aware of any current issue affecting the street lights.
Residents have urged authorities to conduct a detailed inspection and take corrective measures. The project, intended as a key urban infrastructure upgrade for Digboi, is now under scrutiny shortly after completion.