Situated in the heart of Assam, the city of Guwahati, renowned for its scenic beauty and infrastructural development, faces a multitude of challenges affecting the daily lives of its residents. From traffic congestion to the inability to allocate proper vending grounds, it is unfortunate that the city still grapples with these hurdles.
Traffic Congestion
Guwahati still faces several issues, with traffic congestion being one of the most prominent.
Despite the government's efforts to enhance traffic flow through the second phase of the Integrated Traffic Management System (ITMS), there are areas where traffic signals occasionally malfunction, notably Paltan Bazar and Last Gate, exacerbating the situation.
Guwahati, despite its metropolitan status, lags behind cities like Delhi and Hyderabad due to the absence of well-structured road planning, including parallel roads, ring roads, and intersections.
The city only has two major roads, GS Road and MRD Road.
Rapid infrastructure development, including projects for drinking water, gas pipelines, drainage systems, and the construction of flyovers, also contributes to traffic congestion.
The growing number of vehicles, with 54,158 new registrations in just six months according to the District Transport Department, further worsens the issue.
Unscientific Construction of Flyovers
The government has undertaken numerous flyover projects in Guwahati.
Unfortunately, these flyovers often seem to relocate traffic congestion to the next junction instead of offering a genuine solution.
Currently, there are 14 operational flyovers in Guwahati, with an additional seven flyovers and one bridge over the Brahmaputra under construction.
However, continuous construction is visibly altering Guwahati's urban landscape, displacing homes and affecting local businesses.
While these flyovers offer temporary relief from traffic issues, they may not provide a long-term solution.
The key to addressing traffic challenges lies in promoting mass transit systems like the Guwahati Metro or Monorail.
In 2012, Engineering Projects (India) Ltd proposed a modern monorail, but it didn't receive state government support, as they preferred a metro rail project.
A metro rail system is crucial for a rapidly urbanizing city like Guwahati, and while a project report was prepared by RITES (Rail India Technical and Economic Service), there has been no progress since the revised plan was submitted in June 2021.
The responsibility now falls on the Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (UMTA), a statutory body approved by the Cabinet in August 2022, to plan and invest in urban transport infrastructure, although the public remains unaware of UMTA's plans even after a year of its establishment.
Flash Floods
In Guwahati, rainwater is supposed to be channeled toward water bodies like Bharalu, Bahini, and Basistha through a network of drains.
However, localities like Rukminigaon, Sijubari, Hatigaon, Nabin Nagar, Rajgarh, Gandhi Basti, Anil Nagar, Tarun Nagar, and others experience flash floods during rainfall.
Despite spending Rs 9 crore to desilt 143 drains this year, the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) hasn't succeeded in mitigating flash floods throughout the city.
Additionally, there were areas where the desilting work was not carried out properly.
Lack of Proper Drinking Water Facility
Drinking water scarcity is a common problem for Guwahati residents.
Most areas in Guwahati, except the southwest, depend on supplies from tthe he Jal Board and the Guwahati Municipal Corporation.
However, frequent pipe bursts lead to water supply interruptions.
Localities like Panbazar, Paltan Bazar, and Rehabari, where people primarily use water from GMC pipelines, often complain about the water's poor quality, causing health issues such as skin irritations and stomach infections.
The Guwahati Municipal Corporation has three water treatment plants situated at Panbazar, Satpukhuri, and Kamakhya, sourcing water from the Brahmaputra River.
Despite being sourced from the third-largest river in terms of water volume, the water supplied often contains harmful elements such as cadmium, zinc, chromium, lead, and copper, rendering it unsafe for consumption.
Lack of Garbage Management
Despite the Guwahati Municipal Corporation's promise to ensure complete garbage collection, the process remains irregular.
Initially, GMC compensated non-governmental organizations (NGOs) responsible for garbage collection.
However, during the pandemic, financial support was halted, prompting GMC to ask these NGOs to collect dues directly from local residents.
The fee for this service increased from Rs 30 to Rs 50, causing residents to dispose of garbage improperly, including in water bodies.
Garbage transfer stations in various parts of the city sometimes leave waste in the open, causing problems for residents.
Chaotic Public Transportation
Public transportation services, including buses and taxis, are meant to provide a smooth travel experience but have been increasingly causing frustration.
Buses often do not stop at designated bus stops, leading to traffic congestion and inconveniencing commuters.
Buses and metro-sharing taxis tend to be overcrowded, exceeding their capacity, and charge higher fares late at night, further adding to commuter woes.
Cab drivers from ASTC CITY CABS, OLA, UBER, and RAPIDO sometimes overcharge passengers, making the overall transportation experience less pleasant for the public.
Unscientific/Unplanned Growth
The swift rate of construction has sparked apprehensions regarding its compliance with the city's master plan.
The Public Works Department (PWD), responsible for overseeing these construction projects, has a track record of delivering substandard results.
While drainage projects along B. Borooah Path were executed successfully, the construction of footpaths was unfortunately neglected.
The inauguration of the Nilachal flyover led to a relocation of traffic from Maligaon to Adabari, resulting in the dismantling of a footbridge in Pandu, Maligaon.
The absence of a meter system in auto rickshaws and CNG buses compounded the challenges faced by commuters.
Inadequate Healthcare Facilities
Access to healthcare services remains unequal.
The government introduced the Atal Amrit Abhiyan Health Insurance scheme, providing insurance coverage of Rs 2 lakh per year for each family in the state.
However, a significant gap still exists in accessing high-quality medical services due to the expensive nature of private healthcare.
Government-run hospitals often lack proper amenities and struggle with overcrowding, further exacerbated by the shortage of beds and inadequate ICU facilities.
Deteriorating Air Quality
Guwahati's air quality has deteriorated, ranking worse than Delhi in a report.
Ongoing construction work contributes to dust accumulation on the roads, impacting air quality.
Cutting down hills and slopes for soil procurement, neglect in cleaning drains by the GMC, and improper disposal of waste materials add to pollution concerns.
For three consecutive days starting from Saturday, January 14, Guwahati's air quality has remained categorized as 'Very Poor,' according to the daily Air Quality Index (AQI) bulletin issued by the Central Pollution Control Board.
The city's daily average AQI has consistently exceeded 350 since that Saturday, as reported on the official website of the Central Pollution Control Board, while Byrnihat's air quality has deteriorated to the 'Severe' category, registering an AQI of 420 on Monday, January 16.
On January 14, Guwahati's average AQI stood at 320, which increased to 375 on Sunday, January 15, and remained at 363 on Monday, January 16.
Notably, on January 16, Guwahati was ranked as the fourth most polluted place in India, following Byrnihat, Bettiah, and Siwan.
Unregulated Vending Jungles
Street vendors have encroached on footpaths over the years, hindering pedestrian movement.
Although the GMC initiated a survey with a Delhi-based NGO to identify street vending zones, the survey was not completed due to its unplanned nature and lack of management.
The municipality board, with the help of its vending committees, identified various vending zones, but the issue persists, as more street vendors emerge each year.
The municipality's approach to tackling this issue has largely involved conducting evictions, offering only a temporary solution.
