Guwahati's credentials as a Smart City are being tested not by its infrastructure, but by what happens on its streets after midnight. Ganeshguri, one of the city's busiest commercial hubs, is once again under scrutiny after groups of youths were reportedly seen openly consuming beer on the roadside just metres away from Dispur Police Station.
The incident has reignited a debate among residents about the effectiveness of late-night policing in the city, and whether enforcement in Guwahati is genuinely preventive or merely reactive.
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Several residents said late-night disturbances in Ganeshguri are far from a new phenomenon. Informal complaints about drunken behaviour, loud arguments, and roadside gatherings disturbing the peace have reportedly been raised multiple times in the past.
While police patrols do occasionally arrive to disperse groups, the relief is short-lived, according to locals. "Police vehicles come and chase them away, but within an hour the same groups return," one resident alleged.
The issue is no longer confined to licensed establishments. Roadside eateries, tea stalls, and pan shops operating late into the night have increasingly become gathering points for young people. Vehicles parked haphazardly along the roadside are causing traffic bottlenecks even during late hours.
A senior citizen from the locality captured the contradiction at the heart of the issue. "The infrastructure may look modern with bright lighting and redeveloped roads, but late-night Ganeshguri often turns chaotic. Public drinking, rowdy behaviour and safety concerns continue despite occasional police crackdowns," he said.
The observation points to a broader question about Guwahati's development narrative — whether the city's Smart City status is reflected only in its physical upgrades or also in the safety and discipline of its streets after dark.
The recurring incidents have triggered a larger civic debate about where responsibility lies. Many residents argue it cannot rest with the police alone, and that stricter regulation of commercial establishments, better civic discipline, and coordinated multi-agency enforcement are needed to meaningfully address the problem as Guwahati's late-night culture continues to grow.