Staff Reporter
Guwahati: Fancy Bazar is one of the key market areas of Guwahati, the largest city in Northeast India. But despite development, a few things have remained consistent regarding this area for more than a decade now, and a few of them are the unhygienic environment, traffic chaos, and lack of proper parking facilities.
Over the years, the government has taken multiple steps towards maintaining the Fancy Bazar area and getting rid of the garbage and litter generated by the variety of businesses located in the region. Although the Guwahati Municipal Corporation has taken several comprehensive steps towards getting rid of the garbage, another key project has become a cause of multiple problems for businesses and customers alike. The under-renovation drainage system in the region has become a major cause of concern. The uncovered drains not only pose the risk of people falling into them and getting themselves injured, but they also pose significant hygiene risks that need to be solved as soon as possible.
Fancy Bazar and traffic chaos go hand in hand, mostly because of the plying of a variety of vehicles in the locality at the same time. Hand-pulled carts: e-rickshaws, commercial and private two-, three-, and four-wheelers, and even trucks ply in this locality, causing a huge amount of chaos. To add to these problems, there is the irresponsible parking of all these vehicles in the narrow streets of Fancy Bazar. Apart from these, there are hawkers vending a variety of items on the streets, further constricting the space available for vehicles to ply.
Another key problem in this locality is the parking facility. Although there is a massive parking lot on the Old Jail campus, no action has been taken towards its maintenance. Parts of this parking area often become muddy, making it impossible for people to walk out of the parking area after the rains, and in the dry season, this area is always dusty. The parking area also lacks any proper shade or covering. Another key problem is that the people engaged in collecting parking fees often cut a deal with some of the local shop owners and pay a fixed and discounted amount for regular parking and even reserve spaces for their vehicles. As a result, citizens or customers visiting the market quite often find the parking areas full and are then forced to park their vehicles elsewhere.
Also Read: Assam: Cylinder Blast at Fancy Bazar Ghat in Guwahati Injures Four Labourers (sentinelassam.com)
Also watch: