Assam: Flash floods bring Guwahati city to standstill

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: Despite multiple actions being undertaken towards the prevention of artificial flooding in Guwahati, the people continue to face problems because of the same. A spell of mere 30-minute rain has brought the city to its knees, with severe waterlogging reported in various areas. The areas of Rukminigaon, Chandmari, Hatigaon Natun Path, Anil Nagar, Nabin Nagar, and Beltola Wireless are among the worst affected, with artificial flooding submerging the roads and homes.

The city’s infrastructure has failed to cope with the recent rainfall, which has been persistent over the past few days. The streets, still saturated from previous downpours, have not had a chance to dry up, and today’s brief shower has pushed the water logging problem to catastrophic levels.

In Rukminigaon, the water level rose to the footpaths, making it difficult for pedestrians to navigate. Traffic police were seen managing the chaos barefoot and with folded pants as the roads became rivers. The constant flow of water has damaged the road surfaces, creating holes and breaks that have disrupted the traffic flow.

To mitigate the crisis, traffic restrictions were put in place, and the Rukminigaon road was temporarily blocked. However, this has only added to the woes of commuters, who are already facing significant delays.

The Jorabat road has also been affected, with flash flooding becoming a recurring nightmare for residents.

The people of Rukminigaon have taken to the streets, demanding a solution to the waterlogging problem. They argue that the government’s push to develop the city into a smart city has failed to address the basic needs of its citizens. One resident, frustrated with the lack of action, said that the government has failed to protect the people, despite all the claims of development. The money allocated for projects has been wasted, and the people are still suffering from the same old problems. Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Ashok Singhal has not yet visited the affected areas.

As the city struggles to come to terms with the flash flooding, one thing is clear: the government needs to take immediate action to address the water logging problem and restore the faith of its citizens.

A retired IAS officer said, “It’s essential to install a suitable drainage system, completely stop filling in any low-lying regions, and give these places a thorough cleaning to prevent water retention. For a two-year period, any hill cutting and filling in Guwahati’s low-lying districts should be prohibited until the flood situation improves, if not completely eliminated. In terms of the political ramifications of such an ordinance, citizens will respond more favourably than negatively.”

One teacher said, “We reside in Rukminigaon. Our living conditions are really poor; Monday was so bad that I was unable to enter my home. I was supposed to receive my school bus at 3:00 p.m., but it arrived at 10:00 p.m. I was unable to enter my home and had to stay outside for two days. I was only able to return home on Thursday, thanks to my ward. Therefore, Sir, I am pleading with you to keep the school closed until August 11, as the system has issued an orange alert. I also ask you to investigate the technical cause of our drainage system, as 10 minutes of rain causes the entire area to flood for two days. We have become so devastating.”

The public commented, “The city of Guwahati is not planned. Here, people built their homes before creating the roads and drainage system. The drainage system is very small; it should be larger, and for that, the government should purchase land from the public, which I doubt will happen, and public consciousness like refraining from littering the roads, etc. also does not seem to happen.”

One of the residents said, ‘I’m deeply disheartened by the persistent waterlogging in Guwahati. While it’s common in many areas, the water usually recedes within two to three hours. However, as a resident of Rukminigaon for the past three years, I’ve noticed a drastic change this year. The water doesn’t dry up even after 48 hours, causing immense hardship for the people. Children are unable to attend school, cars have broken down, and even rickshaws are charging fares of Rs 200 for short distances due to the flooding. The government should take immediate action to reduce the floodwaters within three to four hours. Unfortunately, our protests have fallen on deaf ears. Ashok Singhal, during his visits to survey the flood-affected areas, seems more concerned with providing clean drinking water to households than addressing the flood issue. The recent 10-minute rain shower has led to devastating conditions. We understand that the government has undertaken several projects for the city’s development, but ironically, these projects have had a bounce effect, exacerbating the flooding in Rukminigaon. Water from areas like Dispur and Beltola is being pumped into Rukminigaon, worsening the situation. We’ve conducted our own survey and found that the machines meant to pump out floodwater are actually redirecting it from other areas into Rukminigaon, causing severe flooding.”

 Also Read: Guwahati: Rukmini Gaon Residents Demand Permanent Solution Of Waterlogging (sentinelassam.com)

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