Encroached Topajan Drain Turns Historic Lifeline into Flood Hazard in Dibrugarh

A Correspondent

DIBRUGARH: A silent but serious threat is lurking beneath the streets of Dibrugarh as rampant encroachment on the historic Topajan drain has pushed several localities towards recurring waterlogging and flash floods during every monsoon.

The Topajan drain, a crucial subsidiary channel of the Dibrugarh Town Protection (DTP) drainage system built during the British era, was originally designed with a width of nearly 10 feet. Today, in several stretches, the drain has reportedly shrunk to barely two feet due to large-scale encroachment and illegal construction.

Despite several complaints, the Dibrugarh Municipal Corporation (DMC) and Dibrugarh district administration are silent on the encroachment issue.

Residents allege that numerous houses and structures have been erected directly over the drain, obstructing the natural flow of water and severely compromising the city’s drainage network.

The situation is particularly alarming near Fancy Goli, where encroachments over the drain have become a major cause of annual flooding. During heavy rainfall, the blocked channel overflows, inundating nearby residential areas and leaving residents to grapple with waterlogged roads and damaged property.

Local residents have accused the Dibrugarh Municipal Corporation (DMC) of failing to act despite repeated complaints. The cadastral maps of Marwari Patty Ward clearly mark the Topajan drain, but illegal constructions have virtually erased it from the ground. A resident alleged that encroachers have consumed the drain while authorities have ignored the situation.

Constructed to carry sewage and stormwater away from densely populated neighbourhoods, the drain is now struggling to perform its intended function. Residents say years of unchecked encroachment and poor maintenance have transformed the drainage channel into a major contributor to artificial flooding.

“Many people are unaware that a drain even exists beneath these houses. Illegal constructions have completely covered it. Every year we suffer from flash floods, yet no meaningful action is taken against the encroachers,” said another resident.

Citizens further warned that the Topajan drain is not an isolated case. Several drainage channels across Dibrugarh have allegedly fallen victim to encroachment as rapid urbanisation, high-rise buildings and apartment complexes continue to mushroom across the town with little regard for natural water pathways.

Urban planning experts and residents alike caution that unless immediate measures are taken to reclaim encroached drains and restore the city’s drainage infrastructure, Dibrugarh could face worsening flash floods in the years ahead.

As the monsoon intensifies, furious residents are demanding urgent intervention from the DMC and district administration to remove illegal encroachments, restore the historic drain and prevent another season of avoidable flooding.

For many in Dibrugarh, the question remains: How many more floods will it take before action replaces inaction?

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