HT Digital
GUWAHATI, JUNE 16: A new bout of heavy rain early on Monday morning once again paralyzed everyday life in Guwahati, as waterlogging submerged most of the city’s low-lying and heavily populated zones. The familiar problem of man-made flooding resulted in roads becoming submerged, commuters stuck, and citizens more and more exasperated with the failure to find lasting solutions.
Two of the worst-affected places were Nabinnagar and Anilnagar, where roads and lanes were full of rainwater almost instantly, compelling citizens to splash through knee-deep water on their way to morning routines. The disruption did not just impact ordinary commuters but also posed a real threat to the vulnerable such as children and the elderly.
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“We’re fed up with this perennial problem. How many times do we have to remind the concerned authorities? We’ve been facing the same issue for decades,” complained one frustrated resident, echoing the sentiments of many around the city.
In spite of repeated promises from the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) and the Urban Development Department to clean drains in advance of the monsoon and get ready for floods, locals indicate that there is hardly any noticeable difference on the ground. Short-term solutions keep being provided with the original problems still left unresolved.
Another resident complained, “Each monsoon, our lives are interrupted. The authorities make assurances, but nothing happens. Kids can’t attend school, and old people can’t venture outside. It’s the same mess every year.”
Things were no different in the more affluent pockets of the city. The Rajgarh underpass, a busy artery of traffic in the heart of Guwahati, was equally waterlogged, with knee-deep waters reportedly flooding it. This prime corridor, never mind its repeated complaints and civic assurances, still gets flooded with every big rain, highlighting the inefficacy of the city’s dilapidated drainage system. The widespread waterlogging has once again raised urgent questions about Guwahati’s monsoon preparedness and urban flood management.
