Smart City or Sinking City? Guwahati’s Streets Turn to Streams

In the middle of May’s scorching heat, Assam and its neighbouring states are experiencing heavy rainfall. However, instead of bringing relief, the rain has turned destructive. Many parts of Assam are submerged, and the situation is worsening.

Not only Guwahati, but the entire state is suffering due to broken embankments, which have led to flooding. Roads in rural areas are in terrible condition. During election campaigns, candidates often promise to build better roads, but once they win, those promises are forgotten. As a result, villagers continue to struggle with poor infrastructure.

In Guwahati, floodwater is causing havoc because of clogged drains. Although authorities made some efforts to clean the drains before the rains, they were not enough. Every year, artificial floods disrupt normal life in the city. School children are unable to attend classes, college students face trouble reaching their exam centers, and office-goers get stuck in traffic. Public transport becomes nearly invisible during floods, and the few vehicles that are available are either overcrowded or charge high fares.

People feel helpless. Is declaring a holiday the only solution when there’s flooding? Shouldn’t the government take long-term measures to control floods instead of only building overbridges? Pedestrians are also at risk, many footpath slabs are broken or missing. During floods, it's hard to see these gaps, and people have fallen into open drains, even losing their lives.

Areas like Anil Nagar and Nabin Nagar are fully submerged, and people are using boats to move around. Although the government has launched helpline numbers for flood-affected residents of Kamrup Metro, is that enough? Is it fair to call Guwahati a “Smart City” when basic issues like drainage, footpath safety, and flood control are ignored?

Also Read: Guwahati: BJP MP Faces Fierce Backlash from Flood-Hit Rukminigaon Residents