Guwahati Grapples With The Aftermath Of Heavy Showers As Floods Cause Inconvenience

GUWAHATI: Heavy downpour that started yesterday night and lasted till this morning in Guwahati once again wreaked havoc.

Several parts of the city are grappling with the aftermath of the heavy showers that caused severe flooding and inundated some localities.

The situation was no different this time around as compared to the earlier ones as a chaotic scene erupted with several localities including Rukminigaon, Panjabari, Hatigaon, Wireless and several others bearing the brunt of waterlogging.

The deluge disrupted traffic in many areas, causing long traffic jams and leaving the people stuck for hours.

The authorities have initiated the work on a new flyover in Down Town, leading to the increase in traffic congestion from Super Market area to Six Mile. Other localities like Panjabari, Ulabari and Wireless also saw massive congestion of traffic.

Distressed residents have continued to raise concerns regarding the persistent problem of urban flooding in Guwahati.

Environmental experts point to rapid urbanization without corresponding upgrades to the city's drainage infrastructure as the cause of artificial flooding.

They stress the need for a comprehensive urban planning strategy that includes effective water management systems to prevent such occurrences in the future.

Meanwhile, the Assam government informed the Gauhati High Court that, to combat the artificial flooding issues plaguing Guwahati, the concerned government departments will work in partnership with a Dutch company specializing in flood control measures.

During a hearing on a public interest litigation case (PIL/14/2024) filed by the North East Eco Development Society, advocate general D. Saikia submitted before the HC that a tender was floated to rope in a foreign firm to work on a comprehensive plan to rid the city of the menace of artificial floods, which has taken on enormous proportions lately.

A Netherlands-based firm has been selected, and the state government will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the firm to draw up a plan to rid the city of the flash flood problem, the HC was informed.

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