The bustling traffic in Guwahati is never-ending as thousands of people regularly commute to their offices and homes or to the market, with various points of the city becoming hotspots for regular traffic jams needing immediate attention.
The turning at GS, Road, Paltan Bazar, near the ASTC Bus Stand, is one such hotspot with regular traffic jams and chaos witnessed throughout the day. The problem is especially concerning since it is at the centre of most of the vehicular movement inside Guwahati as hundreds of vehicles traverse through there regularly.
The cause of the traffic jams can be attributed to several reasons which lead to congestion and clogging of the road, including the under-construction foot overbridge, potholes on the road, hawkers occupying the footpaths and chaotic parking situation caused by cabs and autos.
Regular commuters have identified the potholes near the under-construction foot overbridge as the main obstacle to the smooth flow of traffic as it forces drivers to slow down, creating extra traffic congestion in an area already choked with traffic. Driving on the road becomes particularly risky on rainy days as the water and mud-filled potholes become slippery.
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“The potholes are the primary cause of traffic in this stretch of road. It’s been years and the Government has not bothered to fix them. The drivers have to slow down here which causes traffic jams regularly. Moreover, the city buses also stop outside the ASTC Bus stand to pick up passengers which adds to the congestion,” a local shop owner said.
Another shop owner said that while the potholes do get filled up and fixed occasionally, it does not last long, and due to the water leaking from the drains nearby, the road condition again worsens, and it goes back to how it was.
Speaking to GPlus, an official from PWD confirmed the same and said, "The major reason for the poor condition of the road is due to leakages of water pipes under GMC. We've forwarded a written application to the concerned authority to restore the pipes. Only after that, we can proceed with the restoration of the roads. At present, GMC has forwarded an estimate which is in an advanced stage. After the amount is sanctioned, GMC will proceed with the amends."
Another major cause of the traffic is the under-construction foot overbridge, as the construction barriers and the building materials kept there block half the road, further narrowing down the space and causing inconvenience to drivers and pedestrians alike.
Speaking on the same, a traffic police official on duty said that the construction work has been going on for over a year now, but the work is slow because it is only done during the night. “The construction is done at night because if it happens during the day, it leads to additional traffic jams,” revealed the official.
The road ahead is further clogged up due to heavy parking by vehicles, including taxis, cabs and autos which take up half the road as drivers look for passengers.
“The cabs and autos have a designated stand nearby, but they still park here until we ask them to leave. Then, they again come back the next day,” the Traffic Official disclosed.
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Another worker from a nearby restaurant said, “The cabs park here most days which crowds the area and creates congestion. Also, they dirty the place by littering and spitting, which affects public hygiene also.”
Additionally, pedestrians also face troubles as they are often forced to walk on the road because most of the footpaths are occupied by street hawkers and vendors who set up makeshift shops every day, along with the shop owners who also tend to put up displays of their products on the footpaths.
The makeshift shops and displays are set up every day unless the Guwahati Municipal Corporation conducts raids and imposes fines on the offenders.
Expressing his frustration, a pedestrian spoke about his regular experience, and said, “Where do we walk? It is dangerous to walk on the road, but the footpaths are always occupied. There’s no space for us to walk. The GMC needs to conduct raids regularly and impose stricter fines to get rid of them. If they want to decongest Guwahati, this is where they should start – at the centre of the city.”
Meanwhile, the area is witnessing massive change as the ASTC Bus Stand is scheduled to be demolished soon and notices were sent out early last week to the shopkeepers who had their shops on the premises of the bus stand to vacate the place within one month, causing massive discontent and displeasure.
