Himadri Kalita
Guwahati has been in an unpredictable state since last month due to several incidents being reported in the city starting from water pipeline bursts disrupting normal lives to accidents caused by poorly maintained roadways.
Citizens are afraid of travelling on roads and also to remain indoors because of the situations happenings across the city that claimed a few lives while injuring several others.
To begin from the start, on May 25, one person died while several others sustained severe injuries after the main water pipeline of Gammon JICA burst in the Kharguli area causing a water gush that swept away several vehicles and damaged residential houses. The incident triggered massive outrage from political parties and organizations including locals demanding probe into the incident. Following the deadly incident, panic gripped the residents who received JICA-assisted water supply as they are afraid that they might also face a similar situation.
To probe into the matter, JICA-assisted water supply was suspended for a while as technical experts of the Indian Institution of Technology were examining the fault in the process of the overall infrastructure.
The suspension of the water supply disrupted normal lives of the people as the city was experiencing extreme heat wave conditions due to the rise in mercury during that period.
Unfortunately, this was not the end of the trauma faced by the citizens as following this, at least five water pipe burst incidents were reported here. Another such major pipeline burst incident was reported in Rajgarh Link Road on June 12 where several houses and shops were damaged. But this time, the pipeline was installed by the Guwahati Jal Board. The incident happened when the authorities were initiating hydro testing to check for leaks in the installed pipelines to begin the supply of water. It was learnt that these pipelines were installed years ago.
Moments after the incident was reported, the Managing Director of Guwahati Jal Board and Kamrup (M) Deputy Commissioner, Pallav Gopal Jha rushed to the spot and informed that, unlike the Kharguli incident, it was caused due to leakage in the pipeline. He immediately ordered for restoration of the road and the pipe.
He further said that the citizens might face similar situations in the upcoming days as hydro testing will be continuing and it is uncertain from the water will start spilling out due to leakage in the pipeline.
Interestingly, during the installation of those pipelines, reports emerged alleging that the contractors who installed these pipelines were removed after discrepancies were found in their work. However, the authorities refused to make a comment in this regard.
Does this imply that we will have to live in the city with a fear of anything happening to us at any time? Or shall we have faith in the government to take adequate measures to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future? It is difficult to ascertain anything as of now as related situations were being faced by the citizens since last month. These were reported in Maligaon (May 29, June 22), North Guwahati (June 5), Noonmati (June 20) and Hengerabari (June 23). These were among the ones that were reported and witnessed by the people however, there might be a few that are not noticed or informed.
It is very unfortunate that the gateway to the North East (Guwahati) has to face such deadly situations disrupting the normal lives of the people residing in it.
Further it should be noted that it is not the only situation that the city had been facing as poor maintenance of roadways and unsafe construction works are also posing as major threats on the lives of people.
For the installation of pipelines, cables, and other works, the roads are being dug up by different departments and it is noticed that after completion of the installation works, they leave the roads unrestored. This has caused misery for the commuters who travel via these roads to reach their destinations.
The risk of these unrestored roads came to light when a student lost her life when she and her elder sister met with an accident caused by a pothole dug by JICA to install a water pipeline while they were heading to school on a scooter. The incident raised serious concerns from across the city where potholes are being dug for various reasons which has become unsafe and worrisome for commuters.
Taking cognizance of the situation, actions were taken against the construction company responsible for digging the pothole and leaving them unrestored.
This incident also brings focus on whether coordination is maintained between various departments when a road is dug for installation. On this matter, DC Pallav Jha earlier in January informed that the district administration was making efforts to make coordination between different departments emphasizing that before digging a road, advice should be sought from other departments to gather information if some pipeline or gas line is installed in that particular road to avoid any situation. But now, it seems like high time to make coordination among the various departments to avoid such untoward situations.
Regrettably, the ordeals of citizens in Guwahati do not end with this as the residents coming to and from Maligaon area has started to feel insecure while travelling below the under-construction flyover.
In the past few months, the flyover has created worrisome conditions as reports of concrete slab damaging windshield of cars and tarpaulin catching fire among others were witnessed. Amid these, one serious incident caught the attention of the authorities. An iron shattering slab fell from above on two people underneath the flyover grievously injuring them. Following the incident, the chief minister himself along with the officials rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation. This incident prompted the concerned officials to give utmost importance to safety measures.
It is sad how it always takes one major incident risking the lives of individuals to prompt the authorities to give importance on safety measures. Although there is no doubt about the measures taken up but it always comes at the cost of one or two lives.
Meanwhile, the artificial flood has always been a major cause for the city as minutes of downpour leaves Guwahati in an inundated situation.
Efforts were made from the authorities for desiltation ahead of the monsoon season yet it seems to go in vain as in the past few weeks, water logging issues triggered by incessant rainfall were faced by the people questioning the Mission Flood-Free Guwahati project.
Due to poor conditions of the road, one e-rickshaw carrying students overturned on a flooded road in the Hatigaon area raising concerns of the same.
Analyzing all the events that had been occurring for the past month, it is difficult to consider Guwahati as a ‘smart city’. People had been criticizing the government over the measures taken up by them for the construction, projects, and installation of pipelines for smooth water supply.
Further it has raised concerns of people as they are afraid of stepping outside their homes as uncertainty looms over their lives due to various risk factors.
Though undoubtedly CM Himanta Biswa Sarma is attempting to take all the adequate measures to avoid such deadly incidents yet drawbacks from the concerned authorities have made it difficult for them to have faith.
