STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Another day under water, another morning of misery — and residents of Guwahati are once again questioning an administration that has repeatedly failed to keep the city afloat.
A spell of heavy rain on Friday brought several parts of Guwahati to a standstill, with severe artificial flooding disrupting vehicular movement, stranding commuters and school buses, and exposing the city’s continuing drainage crisis. From Panjabari to Hatigaon, Beltola Wireless and Rukminigaon, roads were submerged under several inches of water, turning key stretches into virtual rivers.
Commuters travelling between Guwahati and Jorabat faced major difficulties as intense waterlogging inundated crucial stretches of the national highways. Traffic movement was severely affected, with vehicles moving at a snail’s pace and several commuters forced to abandon their vehicles and wade through the flooded roads.
Panjabari presented a particularly grim picture, with large stretches of road resembling a sea following the heavy downpour. Stranded commuters were left with little option but to use road dividers and footpaths to make their way through the water.
The morning chaos was compounded by stranded school buses. At Jorabat, a school bus got stuck in the waterlogged stretch, forcing students and parents to get off and make alternative arrangements to reach their destinations.
In Hatigaon, residents struggled to navigate flooded streets, with many questioning how a city that has witnessed repeated drainage projects and flood-control measures continues to face the same crisis every time it rains.
An angry Hatigaon resident, visibly frustrated by the recurring situation, said the concerned departments had failed the people.
“Every time it rains, the entire area goes under water. What exactly are these departments doing? Are they waiting for people to drown before they take action? We are shouting, complaining and approaching the authorities, but nobody seems to care. This is not a natural disaster anymore — this is administrative failure,” the resident said.
The resident further questioned the repeated assurances given by the authorities, alleging that no permanent solution had been put in place despite years of complaints.
At Beltola Wireless, residents raised even more serious questions over expenditure on drainage and flood-mitigation works. A resident alleged that the recurring flooding despite substantial public spending indicated possible irregularities and demanded an account of the funds spent on such projects.
“Crores are announced in the name of drainage, flood control and development, but where is the result? Every monsoon we see the same roads underwater. If so much money is being spent, someone must explain where it is going. There should be a proper investigation into possible corruption and the quality of the work being carried out,” the Beltola Wireless resident said.
Rukminigaon residents also expressed anger over the repeated disruption of normal life.
“We have become used to this misery. One heavy shower and the roads disappear under water. Children cannot reach school, office-goers cannot reach work and elderly people are trapped inside their homes. How many years will the administration need to fix a drainage problem?” a Rukminigaon resident asked.
The situation once again puts the spotlight on Guwahati’s much-publicised flood-control and drainage initiatives. Despite repeated drives to clear drains, desilt channels and strengthen the city’s drainage network, several vulnerable localities continue to experience severe waterlogging after heavy rainfall.
For residents, Friday’s flooding was not merely the result of heavy rain but another reminder of what they describe as years of official apathy, poor planning and lack of accountability.
As Guwahati battles yet another morning of artificial flooding, the question being asked on the streets is simple: how many more monsoons will the city have to suffer before the administration delivers a permanent solution?
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