Guwahati drowns again
Staff reporter
Guwahati: Life in Assam’s capital city came to a grinding halt on Tuesday morning after relentless overnight rains triggered massive waterlogging and artificial floods across major localities. The deluge disrupted traffic, crippled emergency services, and forced residents to wade through knee-deep water bringing the spotlight back to the city’s long-standing drainage and urban infrastructure failures.
From arterial roads to densely populated residential areas, floodwaters seeped into every corner of the city. Localities like Rukminigaon, Hatigaon, Anil Nagar, Chandmari, and Jorabat were among the worst affected. Streets turned into rivulets, vehicles were stranded, and daily routines collapsed under the weight of a crisis that is becoming all too familiar for Guwahatians.
At Rukminigaon, vehicles crawled through flooded lanes as schoolchildren and office-goers struggled to navigate the chaos. In Hatigaon, early morning scenes resembled a disaster zone. “We are fed up now. This government only makes loud promises. Dropping kids to school has become a nightmare,” lamented a resident, voicing the frustration of many.
Anil Nagar, a locality perennially hit by waterlogging, once again bore the brunt of the rains. Maniram Dewan Road in Chandmari, a critical connector for commuters, was submerged under floodwaters, bringing traffic to a standstill. The situation turned dire at Jorabat, where the National Highway was submerged under two to two-and-a-half feet of water, causing panic and confusion among travelers.
The crisis even reached the premises of Geetanagar Police Station, raising alarms over the city’s preparedness to deal with emergency situations during such natural events.
Reports of waterlogging poured in from nearly every part of the city Zoo Road, RG Baruah Road, GS Road, Guwahati Club, Lachit Nagar, Panjabari, Tarun Nagar, and Survey, among others. To make matters worse, multiple areas experienced widespread power outages, adding to the public misery.
Despite repeated assurances from civic authorities, the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC), in coordination with the Public Works Department (PWD) and the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), has failed to implement lasting solutions. While projects like desilting of drains and new drainage infrastructure have been touted as fixes, they have repeatedly proven insufficient during heavy downpours.
Urban planning experts and environmentalists cite unplanned urbanization, outdated drainage networks, encroachment on wetlands, and the filling of natural water channels as major reasons for the recurring floods. “Until and unless water enters the Minister Colony, they will not understand the real problems of the common public. Practically, they have done nothing,” said a visibly angry resident of Wireless, summarizing the city’s collective exasperation.
With the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting more rain and thunderstorms across Assam until April 25, fears of further waterlogging loom large.
As monsoon season draws near, city’s residents are demanding long-term, structural reforms rather than temporary, superficial remedies. What once appeared to be an inconvenient seasonal occurrence has now become a grave urban crisis a stark reminder of how administrative neglect, poor planning, and ecological disregard have crippled one of Northeast India’s most important cities.
Also Read: Guwahati Plans Flood-Resilient Future: Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah
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