The present government at Dispur needs to be complimented, in fact, applauded, for undertaking various projects to resolve some of the problems to make Guwahati a better place to live in despite being confronted with various legacy constraints.
Making difficult choices and meeting timelines has been one of its hallmarks.
These encourage us to bring to its notice various difficulties being faced by the city’s denizens or shortcomings with the belief that there is a government that will act decisively to try and solve these problems.
One such issue is stated below.
The Six Mile intersection embodies the unsavoury face of Guwahati, depicting exactly what a smart city ought not to be!
More often than not, the traffic control lighting system at the Six Mile intersection is non-functional, and most parts of the day the traffic control policemen are not deployed here.
Hence, there is mayhem at the intersection.
If one wishes to be assured of the presence of divine power overseeing the safe passage of vehicles, the fact that we are spared a large number of accidents at the intersection is ample proof of that!
Add to that, the undisciplined, incorrigible e-rickshaws jostle for vantage positions to pick up passengers and in the bargain eat up a major part of the entrance section of the road to Panjabari from the Six Mile intersection.
Street vendors gobble up large parts of the footpaths, leaving the high density of distraught pedestrians to muscle their way through the little space available!
Not to be outdone, food stalls line up along a dusty, filthy corner of the intersection where the ubiquitous dust appears to be one of the ingredients in the food being served and being lapped up by the could-not-care customers!
But should the government allow this unhealthy situation?
However, the non-concerned public takes the cake.
Every morning, standing at my apartment balcony, I see the mess we, the public, create day in and day out.
Littering and spitting in public places seem to have become an integral part of us, as say breathing!
It's litter and filth all over!
A little later, the GMC-engaged contract sweepers come and clean up the mess only for our dear public to get into their act of dirtying again without any concern!
One would argue that there is vibrancy here, but can we not have that in a cleaner and more organized place?
I implore the government to start working on our people to create a clean, healthy, and livable Guwahati.
After all, good infrastructure and responsible denizens' behavior are two important ingredients that make a welcoming and happy place.
It is important to make this "gateway city to the North East India" more presentable.
Working on our human capital would provide considerable all-around dividends.
Start with them early, children in schools, and the youth in colleges, in order to make a telling impact in changing the habits and behavior of adults with respect to maintaining public cleanliness and hygiene.
This would certainly help the government's effort to present a cleaner, healthier, and more beautiful Guwahati.
(All views and opinions expressed in the article are the author’s own)