By Express News Service
GUWAHATI: The Assam government is working double time to build a road to Baro Mukhia, the village that Lovlina Borgohain comes from.
The 3.5 km road will connect Barpathar town in Upper Assam’s Golaghat district with the ace boxer’s village that has a population of around 2,000. The work started two days ago.
Prior to her Olympics glory, locals had highlighted the lack of infrastructure in the village, a fact that was first reported by The New Indian Express.
They were optimistic Baro Mukhia will undergo a transformation like that of sprinter Hima Das’s Kandhulimari village in Nagaon district if Lovlina wins a medal at the Olympics. The medal is now assured, thanks to her entry into the semifinal.
The area falls under Sarupathar Assembly segment, which has been often represented by the Congress. Local MLA Biswajit Phukan of the BJP said the kutcha road was being made concrete. A bumpy ride to the village made him decide on building the road.
“I was travelling to Lovlina’s house the other day after she had stormed into the semis. The condition of the road was very bad after an overnight downpour. So, I took a decision to build it and complete it before Lovlina’s return,” Phukan told The New Indian Express.
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The state’s Public Works Department is executing the road.
“We are making it motorable. If money is not sanctioned by the government, I will spend from my pocket,” he said.
The MLA admitted the region has a lot of problems in terms of infrastructure.
“I am from the area and I know the local problems but it has been only three months that I have become an MLA,” Phukan added.
Lovlina’s father Tiken Borgohain said the villagers were happy that the boxer’s glory fetched them a road.
“People are very happy to see a concrete road coming up on a kutcha road. I thank the state government and the MLA,” Borgohain said.
“Lovlina has secured a medal and for that, the government is giving us a road. I will consider it as a gift for my daughter,” he said.
Horen Gogoi, a villager, was hopeful the government would put in place other infrastructure.
“We need facilities such as a hospital with beds, drinking water, a playground, a gym, a boxing ring etc. Lovlina is winning the world and our constituency doesn’t have even a boxing ring,” he said.
