Guwahati, July 5: Allegations of substandard construction have surfaced in Assam’s Boko after the bitumen surface of a newly built rural road under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) began peeling off within days of being laid, triggering demands for an official inquiry.

The nearly 5-km road connecting Chalapathar and Trilochan in Boko, constructed at an estimated cost of ₹2.33 crore, is being executed by Uttar Pradesh-based Messrs Nirbhay Construction under the State Rural Development Agency.

Local residents alleged that the tar and stone layer started coming off almost immediately after the bitumen surfacing was completed, raising concerns over the quality of materials and workmanship.

Villagers fear the road could deteriorate even before the project is formally completed and have called for a technical inspection of the work.

The incident has sparked outrage in the area, with residents accusing the contractor of carrying out shoddy construction under a flagship rural connectivity scheme. They have urged the authorities to investigate the alleged irregularities, fix responsibility and ensure that the road is rebuilt to the prescribed quality standards.

The villagers also demanded greater transparency in the execution of public infrastructure projects, saying poor-quality construction not only wastes public money but also deprives rural communities of durable road connectivity.