As much of Guwahati slept on July 4, an 8-year-old boy was washed away after falling into an unprotected drain amid flood at Jyotinagar. The incident once again exposed the underbelly of Guwahati’s civic infrastructure; this was not the first-ever such incident though, as people have died and got injured in the past falling into open drains, particularly along flooded streets when the line between the road and the drain ceases to exist.
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As 2024 comes to a close, Guwahati stands at the crossroads of change, progress, and challenges. The city over the years has evolved into a bustling centre, reflecting both the promises and pitfalls of rapid urbanisation. From infrastructure developments to social shifts, Guwahati has certainly transformed over the past year, though not without its complexities.
Guwahati can certainly boast of being a vibrant mix of traditional and modern, blending its rich heritage with a rapidly changing skyline. In terms of transport infrastructure, 2024 has seen improvement with opening of flyovers and introduction of electric buses that has made commuting more convenient although there have been costs. Nonetheless, the goal remains clear: To make Guwahati a modern, well-connected city that can cater to the needs of its growing population.
However, Guwahati’s growth has not been without its share of challenges. The rapid urbanisation has resulted in the loss of green spaces and worsening air quality; housing projects, while necessary, have often encroached upon crucial open areas, leading to concerns about long-term sustainability. Guwahati stands at a pivotal moment. The city’s growth trajectory in 2024 has been driven by a blend of infrastructural innovation and economic ambition. But this development has to be matched by a careful approach to balancing urbanisation with sustainability. If the challenges of rapid growth can be addressed, Guwahati is poised to emerge as a dynamic city. However, the issue remains proper planning.
Guwahati's urban development faces obstacles as the city's master plan encounters setbacks. The initial blueprint, set from 2009 to 2025, aimed at achieving a modal share of 55% for public mass transport, translating to around 12 lakh daily trips on the proposed Public Mass Transport (PMT) system. The plan included the development of a Medium Capacity Transit System along with three corridors earmarked for a Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) or Light Rail Transit System (LRTS).
Under the plan, the first phase involved the establishment and operation of BRTS, followed by a transition to LRTS as traffic demand grew beyond BRTS capacity. The design emphasised segregated right-of-way for BRTS, with the possibility of elevated ways in areas challenging to allocate dedicated lanes. However, recent reports reveal that the masterplan's execution has been mixed. Certain projects have been successfully implemented, while others remain pending. Notably, flyovers were not part of the original plan. The master plan of 2009 to 2025 is already there according to which there are a few projects that have already been implemented and few are not. The authorities are again redesigning the master plan looking at the extension proposal which includes the proposed Ring Road. But 2024 is not the year when the city’s final master plan is approved. The final master plan, including all extension, is still a distant dream.
Another issue which was thought of by the authorities in 2024 is protecting the wetlands, but the problem is that it requires dedicated scrutiny. To ensure protection and conservation of water bodies within the Master Plan Area of all towns and cities of the state, the Assam Cabinet has accorded approval to the Assam Urban Water Bodies (Preservation and Conservation) Bill, 2024 which was also placed in the Assam Legislative Assembly. The Bill says that all private Water Bodies with an area of 2 acres or more and all community water bodies/ponds/tanks including those belonging to religious institutions, irrespective of its size will fall under the ambit of this bill except private water bodies having an area less than 2 acres and those located in areas notified as Reserved Forest/Wildlife Sanctuary/National Park.
Ironically, the authorities at present do not have any “concrete data” regarding such water bodies. The authorities lack complete knowledge about how much wetland has been encroached and required to be evicted for the development of any given particular wetland. Half of Guwahati was once wetland and now it is all concrete jungle. Unless it is identified the authorities can’t protect the wetlands. Urban development is required, but planning is vital and if the authorities are planning an extended, developed and protected Guwahati, all plans need to be clear. 2024 was mix of starting and weaving development dreams for Guwahati, the coming years will inform if the dreams are fulfilled or it was just a dream.