Guwahati: Day After Launch, Bhagadatta 2 Flyover Sees Massive Traffic Jam

Just a day after Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma inaugurated the much-awaited Bhagadatta Flyover-2 at Rukminigaon, promising a smoother ride for commuters, the reality on the ground tells a different story. What was celebrated as a landmark step toward easing Guwahati’s chronic traffic congestion has, ironically, plunged commuters into deeper chaos—raising questions about planning, execution, and the widening gap between intent and impact.

On Monday, passengers on the Six Mile–Rukminigaon stretch saw no relief, but a nightmare of traffic. Buses, cycles, cars, and autorickshaws were all stuck in a huge jam both above and below the new flyover, halting movement. A five-minute ride turned into a terror-filled 30-minute ride for most.

"Nothing has changed. If anything, it feels worse than it was," said a visibly agitated daily commuter who had had expectations of the new infrastructure changing his daily routine.

Ironically, at the inauguration of the Rs 112-crore flyover on Sunday, CM Sarma had promised the people that the flyover would ease the traffic at one of the city's most congested spots. "The flyover will end the traffic misery of the Rukminigaon junction," he had declared triumphantly, standing on the very flyover that, today, did not live up to its promise.

Built within a record period of a mere nine months—well ahead of its planned schedule—the Bhagadatta Flyover was heralded as an emblem of Assam's infrastructure drive. Rs 88 crore of the total amount was consumed on core construction, while the remaining amount was allocated for completion and allied work. The flyover, dedicated to the legendary King Bhagadatta of ancient Pragjyotishpur, was also envisioned as a syncretism of the state's cultural pride and modern aspirations.

But Monday's pictures contradicted that dream in stark fashion.

The Rukminigaon flyover was to have been an effortless daily escape from the ground-level traffic jams for commuters traveling between Six Mile and Dispur, a nightmare for years every day, especially during peak hours. The flyover was to provide a raised reprieve from ground-level congestion, enhancing connectivity and reducing travel time by much.

Instead, in its first working day, the project seemed to have fallen short—at least in execution and preparedness for real-life situations.

The incident has rekindled an old question in the civic life of Guwahati: Is infrastructure being constructed for optics or for actual relief?

It should be noted that flyovers by themselves are not a cure-all for city traffic unless integrated with comprehensive transport planning—like smart signaling systems, traffic analysis, last-mile connectivity, and pedestrian-friendly options.

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