GU, airport under threat from Brahmaputra

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Feb 17: The voracious Brahmaputra, infamous for often gobbling up its banks, has long been posing a threat to two vital installations in Guwahati – Gauhati University and Lokapriya Gopith Bordoloi Intertiol (LGBI) Airport. Despite being well aware of the threat perception from the mighty male river, Dispur has long been falling short of starting the two schemes taken up by it to keep the threat at bay.

The State Water Resources Department has taken up two schemes together with an estimated cost of Rs 1650.6 lakh. However, none of the two schemes has started as yet. Guwahati East Water Resources Division has taken up the scheme for channelizing of the Brahmaputra at Khamukh, Garigaon, Dharapur and Garal (phase I) with an estimated cost of Rs 750  lakh and the scheme for protecting Pandu Sadilapur area from the erosion of the Brahmaputra. Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) of the two schemes are under preparations. However, both the schemes are still awaiting sanction from the BARD (RIDF-XXII).

The situation has come to such a pass that every year Gauhati University and the intertiol airport come under threat from the river. Last year both the university and the airport campuses were inundated by flood water. Despite being well aware of the threat perception, slow paddling by Dispur on both the schemes has raised many an eyebrow in the State.  

Meanwhile, the scheme of a 2,800-metre guard wall of 5,400-metre-long stretch from NH-37 to Khajan Sluice Gate costing Rs 750 lakh has been completed.