Smart City: Is Guwahati moving in the right direction?

GUWAHATI: Guwahati is considered the 'Gate Way to the Northeast' and a 'smart city in the making'. Is this really a smart city in the making? The reality check, however, doesn't back it.

Guwahati has automatic traffic signal system at as many as 35 traffic points, but 20 of them simply don't work. The out-of-order automatic traffic signals are at Chandmari, Gauhati Club, Gauhati Commerce College, Hatigaon etc. At many such points with out-of-order automatic traffic signals, the manpower crisis-ridden traffic police have to control traffic manually. And many such traffic points have been left unmanned, leading to frequent traffic congestions. Negligence of duty on the part of a section of traffic police personnel also leads to traffic congestions in the city. In fact, traffic congestion continues to be a curse for this 'smart city in the making'.

The responsibility of repair or replacement of such defective automatic traffic signals lies with the GMDA (Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority), and not with the State police. According to sources, the traffic police have informed the GMDA of the defunct automatic traffic signals many a time, but to no avail.

Under the smart city project, a scheme for installation of 5,000 CCTV cameras at various important locations in the city has long been in the pipeline. But the project is yet to be implemented in the city where petty crimes are quite frequent. Dark lanes in the city also add to such petty crimes. Had there been CCTV cameras and glowing streetlights in the lanes, such crimes could have been checked to an extent. The problem of streetlights can be solved just by replacing the defective bulbs with new ones. But who will do that?

A number of water ATMs were installed at various places in Guwahati. However, a reality check shows that most of them have gone dry. The important poser is: which department will fix the problem? So far, no department has come forward to solve the problem.

The same is the fate of public toilets that have sprung up in many areas in the city. The condition of most of them is beyond imagination – be that the ones located at Bhangagarh, Chandmari, Silpukhuri or any other places in the city.

Many other schemes under the Smart City Project in Guwahati that failed to see light of the day are 24X7 water supply, smart traffic management, smart electric poles and streetlight, development of the Bharalu river etc.

With a large number of departments like the GDD (Guwahati Development Department), GMDA, GMC (Guwahati Municipal Corporation), PHE (Public Health Engineering), ASEB (Assam Electricity Board), etc working out of sync with other related departments, problems continue to stay put. They are also in the habit of passing the buck on other departments when the question of owning the responsibility of any problem comes.

The capitals of almost all States do have a look that give people a civic and decent sense. Why can't such a look be given to Guwahati to make it really 'smart'?