GUWAHATI, March 17: A non-functional municipal clock tower in Dhekiajuli has drawn attention and criticism, raising questions over claims of development in the town often described as “Dynamic Dhekiajuli” by local MLA and minister Ashok Singhal.
The clock tower, constructed beside the Dhekiajuli Municipal office with an allocation of ₹15 lakh from the 15th Finance Commission, was inaugurated on February 4, 2022 by Singhal with considerable public attention.
However, within a few months of its inauguration, the clocks installed on the four sides of the structure reportedly stopped functioning. Since then, the installation remained neglected, with recent reports indicating that clocks on three sides had gone missing while the remaining one also remained defunct.
The development has gained significance amid ongoing publicity campaigns highlighting infrastructural progress in the constituency. Social media promotions projecting the area as “Dynamic Dhekiajuli” have come under scrutiny as contrasting visuals of the abandoned clock tower circulated widely.
Observers noted that the idle clock tower had come to symbolise the gap between projected development narratives and on-ground realities, particularly as the state moves closer to the upcoming elections.
