Bhupen Hazarika Samadhikshetra losing appeal due to unkempt surroundings

The Jalukbari rotary is fast progressing into a crime prone area with the unauthorized bus stoppage near the Bhupen Hazarika Samadhikshetra where a large number of visitors from across the state transit the area on their way to other places of Guwahati either for work or pleasure. The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has planned a beautification project under the flyover. The same is in process. But even before the commencement of the project the area is turning into a crime prone area with a large number of flying visitors transiting through the place. “I am a student of Gauhati University and I stay in hostel but I have to go to Ulubari for tuition classes. By the time I return it is often late in the evening and I have to change buses from Jalukbari to University. I feel very awkward while waiting for my bus as the place is very dark and only the street vendors and visitors linger around in the place making it very unsafe for girls. They often taunt the girls who wait alone in the area. The concerned authority should immediately take steps for upgrading the place by installing proper streetlights so that no crime can occur there,” said a student of Gauhati University while speaking to G Plus. Moreover, the Bhupen Hazarika Samadhikshetra has all the potential to become a tourist destination but for the unauthorized bus and trekker stoppage which disallows the memorial from getting its due importance. “The place remains noisy throughout the day due to the bus stoppage and the fruit vendors sit by the roadside making the surroundings dirty. The government should take the beautification project seriously as the Samadhikshetra is nearby and tourists will visit only if the area is well maintained. Due to the continuous construction works on the road even the pen stand artefact installed under the Samadhikshetra by the roadside is filled with dust requiring continuous cleaning as many visitors throng the memorial,” said Hemanta Deka, Secretary of Bhupen Hazarika Samadhikshetra Samannay Committee. Deka said that the buses, wingers, trekkers and travellers stand right in front of the gate of the Samadhikshetra smearing the beauty of the memorial and creating problems for visitors. The bus stoppage needs to be shifted to some other place and the area needs to be developed with a proper beautification project making it attractive more tourists. One of the visitors said, “During the rainy season, the under-constructed road becomes a huge mess and the vehicles are parked in such a way that passing through the area becomes virtually impossible. I work in a private company here and I come from Rangia daily and have to take the bus from here. The place is also unsafe for girls in the evening as there is no proper security system and the place is full of visitors.” Meanwhile, a member of Samadhikshetra said that as Guwahati is the hub of the northeast, people from across the state and northeast move to other places via the city. “People coming from the airport, Khanapara or from the North Guwahati side have to pass through Jalukbari and as the area is full with visitors it is fairly easy for miscreants to plant a bomb there. We have already witnessed such scenarios in the Guwahati serial blast in 2008. Therefore, the public transport stoppage or even halting of wingers, trekkers etc. in the area near the memorial should be stopped and such stoppage should be shifted to another area. The place should be developed simultaneously with the other projects by setting up of a park or some beautification project so that the area can be developed in a better way rather than to allow it to turn into a crime prone area.” The member also said that despite the current situation around the memorial gets around 1000 visitors every day and this increases to 2000-3000 on weekends. If the place is developed correctly more visitors, including foreign visitors, can be expected.  The tourism potential of the Bhupen Hazarika Samadhikshetra is getting jeopardized due to the unauthorized stoppage of buses, wingers and trekkers right in front of the memorial The NHAI has planned to come up with a beautification project Many untoward incidents take place in the area as it does not have proper lighting The street vendors occupy the roadside littering and dirtying the area