Staff reporter
Guwahati: As Assam braces for the monsoon, residents of Milan Path in Patarkuchi, Basistha find themselves on the edge of a looming crisis, not just of flooding, but of administrative neglect. Despite major infrastructure upgrades in the area, this narrow bylane has been entirely overlooked, leaving nearly 20 families vulnerable to potential water-logging and displacement.
While the main road along the Assam-Meghalaya border is being elevated and equipped with modern drainage, Milan Path remains untouched, now sitting at a lower elevation, turning it into a virtual catchment for rainwater. The residents fear that even a moderate shower could submerge their homes.
"The next rainfall could turn our homes into flood zones," said a resident. "Even after brief showers, our lane becomes waterlogged and impassable. What will happen when the real rain begins?"
The implications go beyond inconvenience. Residents warn of stagnant water breeding diseases, blocked emergency access, and the displacement of elderly and young children, the most vulnerable in any disaster.
In a formal representation submitted to Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, residents have urged for the urgent inclusion of Milan Path in the ongoing infrastructure plan.
"We support the government's efforts," the letter states. "But development must be inclusive. If our lane is left behind, the very initiative meant to improve lives could end up destroying ours."
Despite repeated verbal appeals to contractors, no measures have been taken so far. Residents insist they are not opposing development, but simply asking for their area to be elevated and properly drained alongside the main road.
"Inclusive growth must not ignore small neighbourhoods like ours," they emphasized.
A PWD official, responding to the concerns, said a team had already been dispatched to assess the situation.
"Milan Path is under consideration and will be improved. Due to a manpower shortage during elections, the work will begin shortly after a week," the official assured.
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