Dhodar Ali

The Dhodar Ali (Assamese: ধোদৰ আলি, English: Sluggards' Road) is a 212-km-long road starting from Kamargaon in Golaghat to Joypur in Dibrugarh touching Mariani, Jorhat. It runs through four districts of Upper Assam holding significance for several neighboring states.^[1][2]

Construction

Ahom king Gadadhar Singha got the road constructed some four hundred years ago in 1687. The road is so called because the king mobilized some dhods (dhod in Assamese means lazy) and opium addicts to build it.^[3] Those people were said to pretend to be lazy in order to skip royal responsibilities that made the king to deploy them in the construction. Later, Ahom king Pratap Singha built a stone bridge over the Dorika river on the road. The bridge is 904 ft long (276 m), 14 ft wide (4.3 m) and 16 ft high (4.9 m). This Dorika bridge connects Sibsagar to the nearby town Sonari.^[1]

Present condition of the road

The present state of this historic road is said to be pathetic. The deplorable condition of the road is creating problems to all type of commuters. People express grave concern over the government’s negligence towards repair and improvement of the road.^[4] The erosion of the Dhansiri River is also threatening its existence.^[5] Although the road is going to be a double lane very shortly under a World Bank scheme, the North Eastern Council (NEC)’s simultaneous construction of a drain on the both side within Sonari is being questioned by public. The construction of the drains is criticised as wastage of money for they will have to be filled up with soil once the construction of the double lane is started.^[6]

The Government of Assam, on the other hand, proposed this historic road to be converted into a National Highway. But the Centre turned it down on the ground that there was no plan to declare new National Highways.^[7]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Kharkhuwa (May 12, 2003). "Sibsagar - Monuments of Unageing Intellect". IgoUgo. http://www.igougo.com/journal-j20115-Assam-Sibsagar_-_Monuments_of_Unageing_Intellect.html. Retrieved 31 March 2010. 
2. ^ Staff reporter (Mar 25, 2010). "Opp stresses proper monitoring". The Assam Tribune. http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/detailsnew.asp?id=mar2510/at08. Retrieved 31 March 2010. 
3. ^ Muirhead Thomson, R. C.. "Village Life". Assam Valley - Beliefs and Customs of the Assamese Hindus. pp. 77. http://books.google.co.in/books?id=-HrAiLZE9lwC&pg=PA77&dq=BOOK+ON+DHODAR+ALI,+ASSAM&cd=1#v=onepage&q=BOOK%20ON%20DHODAR%20ALI%2C%20ASSAM&f=false. Retrieved April 9, 2010. 
4. ^ "Public threatens stir over non-repair of Dhodar Ali". http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-1794509881.html. Retrieved 1 April 2010. 
5. ^ "Erosion by Dhansiri threatens Dhodar Ali". http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-1032217851.html. Retrieved 1 April 2010. 
6. ^ "Drain alongside Dhodar Ali raises citizens' queries". http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-1389434841.html. Retrieved 1 April 2010. 
7. ^ "Centre turns down plea to convert Dhodar Ali into NH". http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-1088742761.html. Retrieved 1 April 2010.