Saddola: A tourists' eyesore

IWT vessel moored in Guwahati for years and on, Dispur silent on its auction

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, April 2: SB Saddola, which has long been tethered (moored) to a tree near Sukreshwar Temple in the city, has been witness to many events organized at the spot and elsewhere in Guwahati to lure tourists from the world over. What role does Saddola play for tourism in the State? 

SB Saddola is an Inland Water Transport (IWT) Department’s vessel which has been crumbled into an eyesore for the people of Guwahatians, let alone visitors and tourists from elsewhere in the country and abroad. The vessel has been tethered (moored) to a tree near MG Road for years and on. 

This vessel is witness to the mami Brahmaputra that was aimed at making the mighty male river free from pollution and luring tourists to the State. Those who took part in the recent Advantage Assam had every reason to have seen Saddola, for Sukreshwar Temple being one of the tourist spots in the city. What does such an eyesore add to the cause (tourism)? 

MG Road in the area is a walking zone for Guwahatians on every Sunday evening. A walking zone is supposed to have clean air and clean surroundings. Moored to a tree for years and on, what kind of an atmosphere does a crumbled and rusty Saddola might have added to the ambience there? 

Once ferrying people between the two banks of the Brahmaputra, Saddola too has a back story. According State IWT sources, this vessel has long been crumbled into an eyesore. “It is not fit for use, not even after repair and renovation. It should have gone under the hammer long back. The wreck of the vessel isn’t worth anything other than scrap metal. We’ve sent requests to the State government many times for auctioning the vessel. We’re yet to get any response from Dispur. We know not as to how long we’ll have to wait for a response from Dispur,” an official said. Will Dispur auction and untether Saddola?