Guwahati a hellhole! Citizens question Dispur's credibility

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Sept 20: Want to continue to live in Guwahati? Either cope up with the hellish life amid waterlogging, a problem that continues to plague city life time and again, or be wise and choosy in sending your representatives to Dispur and Delhi. The problem is not one that will come to an end on its own. It demands a tangible and well thought-out plan that has been eluding the Tarun Goloi-led Congress government in the State for the past 14 years. How can one keep on trusting a government that has failed to solve the problem of waterlogging in three consecutive terms will eventually be successful in solving the problem in its fourth term?  

This is the feeling of the common people in Guwahati that has been lashed by a heavy downpour on Sunday when life in most areas in the metropolitan city turned into a veritable hellhole. Gone are the days when reporters rushed to Anil gar, bin gar and Tarun gar areas of the city whenever there is a smart spell of rain. This year, the number of areas affected by waterlogging has increased manifold. A large number of areas in the city that never experienced waterlogging till last year were seen under waist-deep water today when the city was lashed by a downpour.

There was waterlogging at Assam Assembly Secretariat, Jalukbari Point in front of the Bhupen Hazarika Samadhi Kshetra, Maligaon, Birubari, Rupgar, Hengrabari, Panjabari, Kalapahar-Lokhra Road, Lamb Road, Ambari, Ambari, Six Mile, Down Town, RG Baruah Road, Dispur Last Gate, Hatigaon, Nine Mile, Ten Mile, Eleven Mile, Jorabat and GS Road; let alone Anil gar, bin gar and Tarun gar. Traffic came to a standstill in all these areas quite a long time today. Life was totally paralysed. Had it not been a Sunday, the situation would have been a complete mess with school and college-going students and office-goers and their vehicles creating huge traffic jams. In many areas, vehicles were seen literally floating on water on the roads. Stranded cars and other vehicles were seen in many areas.

A wall of the State Zoo-cum-Botanical Garden collapsed at the impact of the rain.

When contacted, sources in the State Water Resource Department said that there have been 73 mm rainfall in the Chandmari area, 77 mm in the Rehabari area, 65 mm in the Khapara area near the SIRD, 78 mm in the Gandhi Mandap area and 140 mm in the Pandu area.

The Department of Meteorology, on the other hand, said that there was a total of 24.2 mm rainfall from 8.30 am to 2.30 pm in the city today. It has further warned that the city is likely to experience rainfall in the next 24 hours.  

The drastic change in the waterlogging scerio in Guwahati this year is the result of rainwaters from the Meghalaya side entering the city, skipping the tural draige system due to faulty planning in the construction of the four-lane NH 37, especially in the Meghalaya side. Till last year, waterlogging was not experienced in city areas like Panjabari and Khapara. However, this year these two are among the worst-affected areas. The more the administration promises a better city life, the worse is the situation relating to waterlogging and sanitary facilities like garbage disposal in the city; thanks to Dispur that never had to face any cash crunch in the past 14 years during the UPA regime at the Centre.