An unusual sight awaited onlookers in south Assam’s Karimganj town on Wednesday — Karimganj North Congress legislator Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha, was filling potholes on National Highway 37. His mission — to draw attention to the road’s deplorable condition.

“The road’s condition has been pathetic for the past three years. I raised the issue in the Assembly, demonstrations were staged and memoranda submitted to the administration and the authorities concerned but nothing came out of it. Dissatisfied with the government’s lackadaisical attitude, I decided to take responsibility and fill up the potholes myself to provide relief to commuters,” Purkayastha told The Telegraph.

“People are angry over the government’s apathy, which may lead to a massive protest in the near future if appropriate steps are not taken soon,” he added.

National Highway 37 starts from Sutarkandi in Karimganj district, bordering Bangladesh, and terminates at Bhali in Manipur. The highway, which passes through Karimganj town, has been in a dilapidated condition over the past few years.

At noon on Wednesday, Purkayastha visited seven to eight locations through which the highway passes in Karimganj town and filled up potholes with soil and stones purchased at his own cost.

The locations include Station Road (opposite Roy Studio) and Main Road (near Saraswati Vidya Niketan).

As the news circulated on the social media, people heaped praise on the MLA for his initiative.

A resident said several mishaps had occurred in the recent past because of the road’s abysmal condition and it was necessary to repair it.

Another resident said people, especially students and elderly people, face a lot of trouble commuting on the pot-holed road. Travelling with patients during emergencies is extremely risky too, he added.

Several Congress members, including Assam Pradesh Youth Congress secretary Manna Dey, National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) secretary Bishal Ghosh and NSUI’s Karimganj unit vice-president Saurav Dev accompanied Purkayastha.