STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: A brief but intense spell of evening rain brought large parts of Guwahati to a standstill on Wednesday, once again exposing the city’s chronic artificial flooding problem and leaving thousands of commuters stranded in traffic snarls.
Waterlogging was reported from Hatigaon, Beltola, Rukminigaon, Zoo Road, Chandmari, Maligaon, Kahilipara Road and West Boragaon, where roads remained submerged for hours after the rainfall. Several stretches became virtually impassable as floodwater accumulated rapidly, disrupting vehicular movement and affecting normal life.
The worst-hit areas included Beltola Survey, where numerous vehicles remained trapped for hours due to stagnant water. Residents said the locality continued to remain inundated long after the rain had stopped, highlighting the persistent drainage failure despite repeated claims of improvement by the authorities.
Maligaon witnessed one of the most severe situations, with rainwater entering shops and commercial establishments. Shopkeepers said floodwater flowed through their premises like drainage channels, forcing many to temporarily suspend business and move goods to safer places.
Traffic crawled across several arterial roads as vehicles struggled through submerged stretches, resulting in long delays for office-goers, students and other commuters.
Expressing frustration, a resident of Beltola said, “Every monsoon we hear promises of a flood-free Guwahati, but nothing changes. The government spends crores every year in the name of tackling artificial floods, yet a single spell of rain is enough to paralyse the city. Where is the accountability?”
Residents across the affected localities alleged that despite crores of rupees being spent annually on desiltation, drainage improvement and flood mitigation projects, the recurring waterlogging reflects poor planning and ineffective execution. Many questioned the preparedness of the civic authorities, saying the city’s drainage system continues to fail even during short spells of heavy rainfall, leaving Guwahati trapped in the same cycle of artificial flooding year after year.
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