CM gets glimpse of city's river front beautification

Project to reflect cultural heritage of State

GUWAHATI, Oct 13: Brahmaputra riverfront from Raj Bhawan to Kamakhya is going to don a new look with the Guwahati Smart City Development Agency Limited (GSCDAL) mooting a major beautification initiative along the river.

The office-bearers of the agency, according to a press release, made a presentation on the proposed beautification project to Chief Minister Sarbanda Sonowal in his conference room on Friday. This is the first of its kind initiative to develop a 5.2-km stretch of the Brahmaputra covering 72.45 bighas of land in Guwahati from Raj Bhawan to Kamakhya.

Taking stock of the progress of the project, Sonowal asked the agency to prepare the detailed project reflecting the cultural heritage of the State in co-terminus with economic activities.

“The Brahmaputra riverfront in Guwahati holds tremendous potential to boost tourism in the State. The beautification project should be aesthetically appealing and reflect the cultural heritage of Assam in its work,” Sonowal said, adding that the project should be implemented in such a manner that the tourists feel the smartness of the city while having a peek at the rich tradition and culture of the State.

Sonowal also asked the agency to incorporate provisions for prayer and festival plazas, perennial water channels along the bank and jetties for sea planes to take off in the project. He further stressed that the beautification work should not disturb the normal course of the river.

The proposed project is designed by Tata Consultancy Services in partnership with a Netherlands-based firm after a thorough hydrological study of the river. Once implemented, the riverfront will have an esplade for people to walk for recreatiol purpose with sitting provision, night illumition, facilities for cycling, leisurely sightseeing and high-thrill rides by speedboats and jetties for sea planes to take off.

Kamrup (M) Deputy Commissioner M Angamuthu, who is also GSCDAL MD, said while apprising the Chief Minister about the development of the initiative that a master plan for the project has already been prepared and survey and feasibility study have also been completed. Angamuthu further said that the project is divided into five parts with components for landscape development and river bank protection. He also said that implementation of the project would also not harm the interests of the vendors of Kacharighat and Ujan Bazar fish market as both the markets would be retained to reflect the traditiol lifestyle.

Chief Secretary Vinod Kumar Pipersenia, Legal Adviser to Chief Minister Santanu Bharali, Additiol Chief Secretary, Urban Development Department etc. MGVK Bhanu, Principal Secretary to CM Sanjay Lohia, Principal Secretary, Fince Ravi Kota, representatives of the consulting firms and GSCDAL were present at the meeting.