Experts say Panbazar area will see excessive traffic after completion of the bridge; alternative measures yet to be undertaken.
• Brahmaputra bridge to fuel traffic congestion
• Citizens question the hurry for construction without public consultation
• No definite proof that proper traffic survey was done prior to DPR finalization
• Feasibility of elevated road behind Sukreswar Ghat under survey
• Guwahati IIT to conduct traffic survey of the city
The construction of the proposed bridge over Brahmaputra River connecting its north bank to its south within the city premises has already started. The extra-dosed bridge, when completed, will be the first of its kind in the northeast. With a project cost of Rs 2,608 crores, it is the largest undertaken by the state Public Works Department (PWD) till date.
Speaking on the occasion of ‘bhumi pujan’ on 1st March, chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal said that the new bridge over the Brahmaputra is a step towards Smart Guwahati which will facilitate an integrated ICT application for an intelligent traffic system leading to decongestion of city traffic. He further said that it will transform the connectivity of the capital city in particular and the entire state in general.
However, local and other concerned people have said that the bridge, when completed, rather than easing traffic issues, would add to the existing congestion in the city.
The super-structure will start as a six-lane bridge at the northern bank and would diverge at a Y-arm at the southern bank to two three-lane ways, one connecting the main road at Santipur opposite Swagat Hospital, and the other end at Azan Pir Park in Machkhowa. Both these ends are to be further connected by an elevated corridor 15.8 metres wide (1.24 kms main bridge), parallel to the already existing Mahatma Gandhi Road.
The PWD has also proposed the construction of two rotaries at both these points.
The Mahatma Gandhi Road would be converted to one-way at that particular stretch. Vehicles travelling from Panbazar towards Maligoan will have to take the MG Road while the traffic moving from Bhootnath towards Panbazar will have to take the elevated corridor (bridge) along the Y-arm of the bridge.
Further, every lane of the bridge would be allowed only one-way traffic. As such, a commuter travelling from Panbazar to North Guwahati would have to travel all the way to Kalipur and take the bridge from that rotary. Also for a commuter from North Guwahati to reach Santipur would have to first take the rotary at Machkhowa and then take MG Road to reach his destination. Apart from lengthening travel time, citizens have raised issues of possible severe traffic jams at the rotaries and along the way.
Reportedly, a major traffic congestion would occur at Panbazar, near the Sukreswar temple point, as the existing road itself is narrow, and would not sustain the ever increasing passenger car units (PCU).
Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) had engaged consultant SMEC India Pvt Ltd, member of the Subrana Jurong Group, a subsidiary of the government of Singapore for preparation of feasibility study and the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the bridge across Brahmaputra River through a competitive international bidding process. The feasibility report for Guwahati-North Guwahati across Brahmaputra River was completed in December 2017. Further, 80 percent of the project is financed by the BRICS New Development Bank (NDB).
However, Guwahatians have said that none of the agencies, including the state government, had proposed any public consultation before the DPR was made.
Earlier, the citizens of Guwahati had formed a co-ordination committee – Citizens’ Co-ordination Committee - in order to save the 250 odd trees located on the south bank of the Brahmaputra River, that were to be mowed down as per the first DPR. Although the final alignment has now been changed, and a new DPR was drawn, however, many other issues, mostly that of traffic, have remained yet unanswered.
Locals of Bharalumukh and nearby areas have ever since been complaining the non-consultation of public before such a mega project was undertaken.
A resident, who wishes to remain anonymous said, “If the government is doing something for the benefit of the public, shouldn’t the people for whose benefit so many crores are to be utilized, be consulted? Doesn’t the opinion of at least the nearby residents matter? People who commute through these localities everyday have a better idea of the needs and requirements.”
When G Plus enquired about the same with PWD, sources inside informed that although such public consultations are of utmost importance, no such proposals were put forward by the GMDA, which presided over the entire project.
The source said, “The initial DPR was done by the GMDA. PWD is handling the construction process only. But as far as public consultation is concerned, no such step was taken.”
A senior citizen, who has been associated with the cause since the beginning informed, “We are shocked that the work of such a grand structure was undertaken in such secrecy.
The public was not informed until much later after the first DPR was already presented. Authorities were already preparing to cut down 100 year old trees. Although we all stood up for the cause and the trees were saved, yet there are many other complications that would arise after this ill-planned structure is completed.”
So the questions that arise are, “Why was public consultation not done? Was a traffic survey done as to how the traffic from North Guwahati would impact the existing traffic scenario?”
PWD officials could not confirm of any official traffic survey although an official said, “I have heard traffic surveys were done although I have not seen any official report.”
Even the city traffic department could not report of any such surveys that were conducted.
It has to be mentioned that as per reports, the government is now contemplating the construction of another arm to the Brahmaputra bridge that has currently started construction.
As per reliable sources, feasibility studies are going on for the construction of an extended arm from the Azan Pir Park rotary to Uzan Bazar Ghat from behind Sukreswar temple to ease the traffic in Panbazar area.
However, the said source has also informed that chances of such an elevated bridge behind Sukreswar and the SP office might not be possible as off now, as the soil profile is not feasible given the presence of rocky bed, and also due to the presence of Umanada and Urvasi islands in close vicinity. Further, the ropeway at Kachari would also obstruct the way.
What many have apparently questioned is the necessity of spending more money on an elevated road, rather than making the current bridge project more practical.
Meanwhile, experts have said that if the possibility of such an elevated roadway is to be rejected, an alternative solution for the traffic problem might be difficult, as the existing “bottle-neck” point of MG Road at Panbazar cannot be widened, with the presence of archeological structures like the Sukreswar temple and North Brook Gate on the riverfront side and other private constructions on the opposite side.
Allegedly, the city traffic department would now be sending a proposal to the state government to set up a committee under IIT Guwahati to study the traffic scene of the entire city for the next fifteen to twenty years. As such it could be said that such a study might not have been conducted earlier, although the same could not be confirmed.
Having said that, the natural question that most Guwahatians are contemplating is, “Shouldn’t have the government done a thorough traffic survey before taking up the construction of the Brahmaputra bridge in the middle of the city?”
Many have also questioned the hurry to construct the bridge without essential studies and consultations.
Ranel Das, a prominent architect of the city said, “The government must have done a survey on the city traffic as well as other aspects, which I am not aware of. Let’s consider that, of the traffic from North Guwahati, 50% are to enter the city via Panbazar and the other 50% takes the diversion towards Maligoan. Even then this extra 50% would add to the current traffic. Further, as of now many people commuting by ferries and boats do not bring their own vehicles. But after the bridge is completed, many more would be commuting on their own vehicle. A study should have been done to understand the increase in passenger car unit (PCU). Also the boats reach the ‘ghats’ at say an interval of 45 minutes to one hour, but the bridge traffic would be continuous. So there is every chance that the congestion which is now irregular, would then be continuous. This would be a serious everyday issue.”
B. Sharma, Executive Engineer of PWD, speaking to G Plus said, "The main purpose of constructing the Bharalumukh-North Guwahati Bridge is to connect both banks of the river and for easy commuting of the citizens. The 1.24 km long elevated corridor connecting both the rotaries, from Santipur to Machkhowa, will actually be built as a landing platform of the main bridge. It was never considered from the traffic point of view, although it would also serve the purpose of easing traffic along the much crowded MG Road. But traffic can't be the concern of the Brahmaputra bridge."
When asked whether traffic survey was conducted before the DPR was finalized, Paban Terang, Chief Executive Officer, PWRD (EAP), said, " SMEC India Pvt Ltd have done surveys considering every stakeholder, so traffic survey should definitely have been done. The number of lanes to be constructed depends on the size of traffic anticipated. As such, a six-lane bridge will be constructed. But we are doing a survey if an elevated road from the Azan Pir rotary to Vivekananda in Uzan Bazar can be constructed. "
However, he could not confirm if the study of traffic of the entire MG Road and further was definitely conducted.