Guwahati’s Public Works Department is overwhelmed by the ongoing road disruptions caused by the Guwahati Jal Board and Purba Bharati Gas, leading to deteriorating infrastructure and mounting public frustration.
The Public Works Department (PWD) in Guwahati finds itself facing a nearly impossible task as it struggles to maintain the city’s road infrastructure. While citizens are quick to point fingers at the PWD for the deteriorating condition of Guwahati’s roads, the department is increasingly fed up with the repeated disruptions caused by the Guwahati Jal Board (GJB) and Purba Bharati Gas Private Limited (PBGPL).
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Both departments have been working on essential projects across the city, digging up nearly every major road in the process. While these projects are ostensibly intended to improve water supply and gas distribution, the lack of coordination and poor execution have turned the city’s roads into a nightmare for commuters. The repeated digging, mending, and re-digging of roads have created a chaotic situation where even the roads repaired by the PWD are left damaged by subsequent work from GJB and PBGPL. This vicious cycle has caused widespread frustration, not only for the public but also for the PWD itself.
One clear example of this problem can be seen on Beltola Road, where GJB began extensive excavation work in 2023 to lay water pipelines. After months of disruption, the PWD finally stepped in to repair the road. However, just as the repairs were completed, PBGPL arrived to install gas pipelines, leading to further destruction. The result is a road that remains in poor condition, despite the PWD’s best efforts.
A similar story unfolded on RG Baruah Road, where PBGPL’s gas pipeline work left large sections of the road in a dangerous state of disrepair. After their work was completed, the trenches left behind were poorly filled, causing significant damage to the road surface. This, in turn, forced the PWD to intervene yet again, diverting resources away from other projects. But, just as has become routine, the road was soon dug up again for further work by GJB, leaving the road in an even worse state than before.
The lack of precision and coordination in these projects is glaringly evident. Roads that were painstakingly mended by the PWD have been torn apart again and again, leaving a landscape of potholes, trenches, and unfinished construction. This is not just a cosmetic issue; the safety of road users is at serious risk, with many accidents reported as a result of these poor road conditions.
Moreover, it’s not just the physical damage to the roads that has become a burden for the PWD — the financial aspect of this problem is equally troubling. A senior PWD official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, explained the budgetary constraints the department faces. “The actual cost of repairing a road is never given to us,” the official said. “For example, if the cost to fully restore a road is Rs 1 crore, we are only allocated around Rs 45-50 lakhs. This shortfall severely impacts our ability to complete the necessary work. We end up doing patchwork repairs instead of the thorough restoration that is needed.” This lack of adequate funding has left the PWD in an untenable position. The department is expected to fix roads on tight deadlines, but without the necessary financial resources, the quality of work suffers. The result is a situation where roads are never truly fixed — they are either temporarily restored or left in a worse condition due to lack of funds.
Adding to this growing sense of frustration is the failure of GJB and PBGPL to take responsibility for their actions. Initially, both departments were directed to restore the roads they had damaged after completing their work. However, due to the subpar quality of these restorations, the responsibility has now been handed back to the PWD. Despite the PWD being allocated additional funds for these repairs, the budget provided is often insufficient, leading to delays and substandard work.
“The accountability is entirely misplaced,” said another official from the PWD. “GJB and PBGPL are digging up roads and leaving them in disrepair. We’re left to pick up the pieces, but the resources we need to do the job properly are not being provided. It’s a vicious cycle.”
The problem is compounded as Guwahati approaches the Durga Puja festival season, with large numbers of devotees expected to roam in the city. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has directed the PWD to restore all major roads before the festival begins, placing immense pressure on the department to complete the work on time. However, this directive has been met with resistance from GJB, which has requested that the PWD delay its work for a few more days to allow the completion of tests at approximately 20 locations along Rajgarh Road.
This request has left the PWD in a tight spot, with department officials uncertain how to proceed. “We have to complete the work as directed by the Chief Minister, but GJB’s plea to delay our work is making things extremely difficult for us,” said a senior official. “They’ve been given permission to carry out these tests, but that means that around 200-300 metres of road that we’ve already restored will have to be dug up again. It’s incredibly frustrating, and it’s going to delay everything.”
The frustration within the PWD is palpable. Many officials feel that their department is being unfairly blamed for the poor state of the roads, when in reality, the disruptions are caused by the disorganised and poorly managed projects of GJB and PBGPL. “It’s easy for the public to blame us,” one official commented. “They see the poor condition of the roads and assume it’s our fault. But they don’t see the bigger picture. We’re constantly working against the clock, with limited resources, and every time we make progress, someone else comes along and undoes it.”
Media reports have also highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by the PWD. Earlier this year, a daily newspaper reported on the extensive damage caused to GS Road due to PBGPL’s pipeline work, which left deep trenches across the road that were poorly filled. The report emphasised how this mismanagement has forced the PWD to divert resources from other important projects to clean up the mess. Similarly, another media outlet ran a story in July 2023 detailing the damage caused by GJB’s water pipeline work in the Uzan Bazar area, where roads were left in a dangerous state for months before the PWD was able to step in and restore them.
The situation has become a perfect storm of mismanagement, poor coordination, and underfunding. As the Durga Puja festival draws near, the pressure on the PWD continues to mount. Without immediate action and better coordination between departments, Guwahati’s roads may well remain a sore point for both residents and visitors alike.
In the meantime, the PWD remains stuck in an untenable position — tasked with fixing a problem that seems beyond its control, all while dealing with mounting public frustration. If anything is clear, it’s that until GJB and PBGPL are held accountable for their actions, the state of Guwahati’s roads will continue to deteriorate.