Guwahati, the gateway to Northeast India, has long been a city with immense potential. Strategically located and culturally vibrant, it has witnessed rapid urban growth in recent decades. However, with development has come a recurring and crippling problem—urban flooding. Each monsoon, Guwahati residents brace themselves for days, sometimes weeks, of inundated streets, submerged homes, disrupted transport, and a paralysed cityscape. What is more troubling than the floods themselves is the repeated failure of successive governments to address the issue with seriousness, urgency, or long-term vision. The lack of political will and systemic inefficiency have turned a solvable civic crisis into a seasonal nightmare.
ALSO READ: Opinion | Is Assam Losing The Spirit Of Bihu To Cultural Rigidity
The flood problem in Guwahati is not a new phenomenon. What was once considered a temporary inconvenience has now become a full-blown urban disaster. Even moderate rainfall can cause waterlogging in multiple parts of the city, including arterial roads and commercial areas. Entire neighbourhoods such as Nabin Nagar, Anil Nagar, Zoo Road, and RG Baruah Road are regularly inundated, affecting tens of thousands of people. Schools are closed, businesses are disrupted, and access to hospitals becomes a challenge. Public transport collapses under the pressure, and daily life comes to a grinding halt. Yet, despite the predictability and intensity of this problem, the government’s response remains disturbingly casual.
One of the primary reasons behind Guwahati’s flood woes is the unplanned and haphazard urbanisation. Over the years, wetlands, hills, and natural drainage systems have been destroyed or encroached upon in the name of development. Guwahati had several beels (wetlands) that acted as natural water reservoirs, absorbing excess rainwater and preventing floods. Many of these, such as the Silsako Beel and Borsola Beel, have either been encroached upon or drastically reduced in size due to illegal construction activities. These constructions have often occurred under the very nose of the authorities, sometimes even with their tacit approval. Despite court orders and public outcry, no serious attempt has been made to reclaim these critical ecosystems. The destruction of wetlands has severely diminished the city’s capacity to deal with excess rainwater, making floods inevitable.
Another major factor is the poor state of the drainage system. Guwahati’s drainage infrastructure is outdated, ill-maintained, and woefully inadequate for a city of its growing size. Drains are often clogged with plastic, silt, and construction debris, and desilting is either irregular or cosmetic at best. In some areas, the drains are so narrow that they cannot carry even a fraction of the rainwater during heavy showers. The Bharalu River, which serves as a natural drain for the city, is heavily polluted and choked. Instead of taking concrete steps to rejuvenate it, successive governments have allowed it to become a dumping ground for solid and liquid waste. With no comprehensive drainage master plan in place, the city finds itself at the mercy of rain every year.
What makes the situation even more frustrating is the sheer lack of political accountability and urgency. Over the past decade, multiple governments have come and gone, each promising to make Guwahati a “smart city” or a “flood-free” urban centre. Elaborate presentations have been made, funds have been sanctioned, and committees have been formed. Yet, the ground reality remains unchanged. The so-called smart city projects have done little to address the core issue of flooding. Often, the focus has been on cosmetic beautification—building parks, putting up fancy street lights, and constructing flyovers—rather than addressing the decaying infrastructure beneath the surface. There is no dearth of reports or data pointing to the root causes of flooding, but what is missing is the will to implement solutions with determination and consistency.
Moreover, the issue is not just technical or infrastructural—it is also deeply political. Flood-affected areas in Guwahati are not always electorally significant, and therefore they are often ignored in policy prioritisation. Many of the residents in the worst-hit areas belong to middle or lower-income groups, and their grievances rarely make it to the top of political agendas. Token visits by ministers, hollow assurances, and photo-ops during floods have become routine. The bureaucracy, meanwhile, continues to function in silos, lacking coordination and a sense of urgency. Projects are delayed, funds lie unused, and the blame game continues year after year.
Citizens, too, bear a part of the blame, though their role is secondary compared to systemic failures. Improper waste disposal, illegal constructions, and lack of civic awareness exacerbate the situation. But it is ultimately the responsibility of the government to enforce regulations, manage growth, and ensure civic discipline. Unfortunately, what we have seen instead is a pattern of negligence, short-term thinking, and populist governance. Floods are treated as natural disasters rather than man-made calamities that can be prevented or at least mitigated with proper planning and commitment.
The recent attempts by the government to demolish illegal constructions around wetlands and drains are steps in the right direction, but they are too little and too late. These actions often come after severe public criticism or media attention, and rarely as part of a sustained policy framework. Moreover, such drives are selective, sparing politically connected individuals while targeting the less influential. This selective enforcement not only breeds resentment but also undermines the credibility of the entire initiative. Without a consistent and impartial approach, these measures will not produce lasting results.
Climate change has further complicated the scenario, bringing more erratic and intense rainfall patterns. Guwahati’s vulnerability is no longer just a local governance issue—it is becoming a matter of regional environmental concern. Unless the city builds resilience through proper urban planning, investment in infrastructure, and ecosystem restoration, the situation will only worsen in the coming years. The future of Guwahati depends on the choices we make today. Will we continue to let short-term political considerations and bureaucratic lethargy dictate our response, or will we finally muster the collective will to tackle the problem head-on?
The solution lies not in grand declarations but in basic governance—enforcing building codes, clearing and maintaining drains, protecting natural water bodies, and involving citizens in planning and monitoring. It requires a shift from reactive disaster management to proactive urban planning. Transparency, public accountability, and a participatory approach are essential. The people of Guwahati have suffered long enough. What they need is not sympathy but sincerity, not promises but performance.
It is high time the government acknowledges that flooding in Guwahati is not just a monsoon issue but a year-round governance challenge. Every drop of floodwater is a reflection of administrative apathy, every submerged home a symbol of misplaced priorities. If Guwahati is to truly become a modern, liveable city, then tackling the flood menace must be at the very top of the political agenda. Anything less would be a betrayal of the people and the promise of a better urban future.
(The author is a poet, science journalist, sustainability advocate, former director, Assam Seed & Organic Certification Agency, and Assam’s Ex-joint Director of Agriculture. All views and opinions expressed are author’s own)
