GUWAHATI: The otherwise neglected Nalapara area of the city, plagued by lack of development and alleged immigrant intrusion comes to focus during sporting events at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium and then, forgotten soon after.
Sandwiched between A.K. Azad Road or as popularly called, Lokhra road and Hatigaon, with the National Highway 37 to its south, this area in the Guwahati Municipal Corporation Ward 27, had its time under the sun during the National Games in 2007, South-Asian Games in 2015, 58th National Interstate Athletic Championship this year and the annual Indian Super league. The reason being, Nalapara, is located at the backside of Sarusajai Stadium and serves as one of the entry points to the venue during sport events. Also, the Maulana Md. Tayabullah Hockey Stadium is located in this area.
This extreme south end of the city – about 1.8 km from the National Highway in south and 3.2 km from Hatigaon to its east – mostly inhabited by Rabha people – one of the oldest indigenous people of Guwahati since the time the city was called Kamrupa – suddenly saw new wide roads built from Hatigaon to Lokhra road and installation of street lights and other basic facilities that this area (27 C) were lacking.
After 2007, the Sarusajai did not see many sporting events until 2013, when it was selected as one of the venues for the Indian Super League which made this the home ground for Northeast United Football Club. Since then, every year, during the league, the stadium lights up and with it, Nalapara too. It however attracted the bulk of the crowd when in 2015 the South Asian Games were played there.
Along with the Sarusajai Stadium, the Hockey Stadium, that has a world-class synthetic turf, lit up and attracted a huge crowd when the India- Pakistan hockey match was held here. India lost the match, but the residents say, it was during this match that they felt for the first time how it is to be a “part of the city”.
“We don’t see many activities here except for few late night strollers looking for alcohol in the Dhabas around here. During the match, a lot of people came here. We earned a little bit by providing our land as parking spots and by putting up small stalls. For the first time, the city came here. Otherwise, all our youths have to go to the city for work,” another resident, Krishnakanta Rabha said.
Lack of street light a major issue
The area might light up during the sporting activities as Guwahati hopes to make a statement as the “Sporting Capital of Northeast”, but otherwise, the residents complained that it remains dark.
“The government has only built the Hatigaon - Lokhra road and put streetlights along it. The rest of the by-lanes are still shrouded in darkness. Only the area leading to the Stadiums have been developed while, our other issues are neglected,” Kushal said.
The residents complain that despite having functional street lights in the by-lanes, their lines remain cut throughout the year. They said this lead to breeding of crime in the area.
“A lot of petty crimes take place here are in these by-lanes where the criminals take the advantage of darkness. The women in this area don’t feel safe after dark either. These dark lanes also serve as an unsupervised spot for people for substance abuse,” a resident said.
They said that the open fields of the Sports Authority of Assam have become a centre of criminal activities at night.
“We hope that the government intervenes soon and installs lights in these areas and provides electricity in the by-lanes too,” Ranajit Talukdar, another resident said.
“Immigrants took the better opportunities”
Even though the National Register of Citizen (NRC) update is underway to detect and deport immigrants from neighboring Bangladesh who came after 1971, the residents of Nalapara said that they have seen a surge of new Muslim families coming and settling there who they suspect to be “immigrants”
“Even a decade back, this area was deserted, with one or two houses here and there and few new housing complexes thronging up. Most of the people here are middle-class Assamese people who settled here for cheaper land and the Rabhas who lived here for generations. But now, this area is crowded with Muslim people who work as daily wage laborers, rickshaw pullers and construction workers for the housing complexes,” Debojit Borah, a shop owner in the area said.
Borah’s view was echoed by another Titu Rabha who said, “In the late 2000s, a few of the families came. They lived by the roads setting up make-shift tents. The by-lanes used to have swamps there. They filled those swamps and set up slums there. These then became bamboo houses and then they put tin roofs and now, there are concrete houses here. We suspect that they are not Assamese.”
“These people have taken all our opportunities,” Rabha added.
Councillor asks for patience and time
When contacted Jana Rabha, former Councilor of the ward, he said that he is aware of the issues, but the development will take some time.
“I am aware of the people’s grievances, but we are at the extreme end of the city. There are so many issues in the wards which are more densely populated and are inside the city. It is a matter of pride and great responsibility to have two world-class stadiums in the ward. I am aware of the problems caused to the people due to these events, but we should all chip in to make these events successful as it is a matter of national pride. GMC is doing as much as it can, but during events like these, we as citizens should also chip in,” Rabha said.
Regarding the electricity problem, he said, “I have asked the Assam Power Distribution Corporation Limited about the same. The street lights need some repair works. These will be done very soon.”
When asked if he is aware of the encroachment in his ward, he said, “I can only inform the District Administration and that, I have done. But evicting them is the District Administration’s authority. Also, until the NRC is updated, our hands are tied.”