CM opens indoor stadium and Katakhal bridge in Hailakandi
From Our Correspondent Assam Tribune
 HAILAKANDI, Oct 29 – Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Friday last inaugurated the 12,000 square feet newly constructed rural indoor stadium in Katlicherra of Hailakandi district. It is the biggest rural indoor stadium of the State. An amount of Rs 54 lakh has been spent for the construction of the stadium. Of it Rs 25 lakh has been spent from the MP’s Local Area Development (MPLAD) fund and Rs 39 lakh from the Swarnajayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY).

Speaking at the inaugural meeting held on the occasion as chief guest, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that this stadium will meet the demands of the local sportsmen and would also able to unearth the rural hidden talented sports persons. He also stressed the need of creating employment generation. He said that there is enough scope of generating employment avenues in agriculture, fishery etc and small scale industries may be started through utilising enough unused raw materials of Hailakandi district and for this purpose he urged the local self help groups (SHGs) to take the initiative.

Mentioning the maiden visit of any chief minister in Katlicherra after independence, Gogoi assured that he would announce many more welfare schemes for the development of Katlicherra area. He praised the initiative of the local MLA-cum-minister Gautam Roy and his son Rahul Roy, MLA of Algapur, for the development of Hailakandi district particularly in Katlicherra area.

The meeting was presided over by the Excise & Border Areas Development Minister, Gautam Roy and was addressed by the deputy commissioner of Hailakandi, Sankar Prasad Kakati Bora, MP Lalit Mohan Suklavaidya, MLA Rahul Roy, Parliamentary secretary, Vivekananda Doley, president of District Congress Committee, Ashoke Dutta Gupta among others.

Later Gogoi inaugurated a newly constructed concrete bridge over Katakhal bridge at Gaglacherra, near Lala town of Hailakandi district. This bridge has been constructed by the North Eastern Council (NEC) spending Rs 13.91 crore. This is the first 180 metres span bridge in the State having no pillars. This bridge will make the communication of Assam-Mizoram inter-state road connectivity easier via NH 154. Besides, this bridge will also decrease the road distance from south Hailakandi to Silchar by about 30 km. Gogoi dedicated this bridge to the people of Hailakandi district.

The Chief Minister also inaugurated a decorated children's park named after former MLA and social worker late Santosh Kumar Roy at Lala town. Gogoi also unveiled a statue of late Roy in the park.

It may be mentioned here that the Chief Minister came directly to Katlicherra in Hailakandi district by a helicopter in the morning for one day visit and later in the evening he left for Silchar. He was given a warm reception in Hailakandi district.