STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: It was yet another morning of misery for Guwahati residents as incessant rainfall triggered widespread artificial flooding across the city on Tuesday, bringing traffic to a crawl and once again exposing the failure of the authorities to find a lasting solution to the city’s chronic waterlogging problem.
From Hatigaon and Rukminigaon to Anil Nagar, Nabin Nagar and Hengrabari, roads were submerged within hours of the downpour, leaving commuters wading through water and motorists struggling to negotiate inundated stretches. The situation was particularly grim in Hengrabari, where accumulated rainwater spilled across roads and residential areas, leaving residents facing the same ordeal that has become routine every time the city receives heavy rainfall.
Residents and commuters questioned the repeated claims made by the departments concerned regarding flood mitigation and drainage improvement, saying the city continues to face severe waterlogging despite years of projects, expenditure and assurances. Criticising the authorities, resident Anil Dutta said people had been forced to live with artificial flooding as a recurring feature of life in Guwahati.
“Every time it rains heavily, the same areas go underwater. What is the point of spending crores on flood mitigation if the situation remains unchanged?” he questioned.
Another resident, Kaushik Baruah, said the authorities appeared to be reacting to the problem only after the roads were flooded instead of addressing the underlying drainage deficiencies.
“People do not want temporary pumping and clearance drives every monsoon. We need a permanent solution. The departments have had years to identify the vulnerable locations and improve the drainage network,” Baruah said.
Student Ashok Hazarika also slammed the authorities over the recurring crisis, saying students, office-goers and ordinary commuters bear the brunt whenever the city receives heavy rainfall.
“Students have to reach schools, colleges and examinations, while people have to report to work. But every time it rains, travelling through the city becomes a challenge. This cannot be treated as normal,” Hazarika said.
The morning waterlogging severely disrupted vehicular movement at several locations. Office-goers, schoolchildren and other commuters were forced to negotiate waterlogged roads, while traffic congestion worsened as motorists slowed down or avoided submerged stretches. The latest episode has once again raised questions over the effectiveness of the city’s drainage infrastructure and the various flood-control measures undertaken by government agencies.
Despite repeated drives to clean drains and remove silt, artificial flooding continues to hit several of the same vulnerable pockets after heavy rainfall. Residents have questioned whether the existing drainage network has sufficient capacity to handle intense spells of rain and whether preventive measures are being effectively implemented before the monsoon and during periods of forecast heavy rainfall. With rainfall continuing in parts of the city, residents fear that the situation could deteriorate further if the downpour persists.
For thousands of Guwahati residents, however, Tuesday’s waterlogging was not an unexpected disaster but another reminder of a problem they have faced repeatedly — rain falls, drains fail and the city drowns.
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