GUWAHATI: Amid mounting protests over the proposed felling of trees for the construction of a new flyover near Guwahati’s historic Dighalipukhuri area, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has assured that no trees will be cut and that the flyover will be shortened.
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On Tuesday night, the chief minister visited the site with officials from the Public Works Department (PWD) to address public concerns.
Speaking to the media, Sarma stated that the flyover’s length would now be reduced to end near Rabindra Bhawan instead of extending to the Reserve Bank, as initially planned. This adjustment, he explained, would protect the trees along Dighalipukhuri. Commuters heading to Noonmati will now be able to enter the flyover also from Lamb Road besides Handique College.
Chief Minister Sarma also stated, "We have informed the Gauhati High Court that we do not plan to cut down trees along the Dighalipukhuri bank. Instead, we had intended to carefully uproot and transplant them near the old Deputy Commissioner’s bungalow using modern technology."
Controversy surrounding the project heightened after several trees along Tayabullah Road and near Handique Girls’ College were marked for removal as part of the redesign due to the construction of the upcoming flyover. Many of these trees, some reportedly over 200 years old, were marked with yellow crosses, which triggered public outcry and raised concerns about the potential impact on Dighalipukhuri's historical and aesthetic significance.
