Guwahati, March 07: The Assam government has decided to demolish around 89 bridges over a river to ease water logging problems in a part of the city during the monsoon season.
According to a government order issued by the Kamrup metropolitan deputy commissioner and chairman of the district management authority, Pallav Gopal Jha, said public interference or hindrance during the execution of the demolition will be considered as an obstruction to public service and legal action may be initiated as per prevalent acts and norms.
Meanwhile, Congress which is the opposition party in the state has said that the decision by the state administration is ‘inhuman’ and that such steps should be taken on a scientific basis.
As per new order, only 26 bridges instead of 89 bridges, will be demolished which are badly obstructing the Bahini River and have become major cause of artificial flood within Guwahati city.
Public inconvenience has been kept in notice. https://t.co/Mt0dZKlw02
— Ashok Singhal (@TheAshokSinghal) March 6, 2023
It was made available to the media on Monday by Leader of Opposition Debabrata The bridges, some of them concrete and others iron structures, including those connecting the state zoo, the SBI Dispur branch and the local head office, NABARD office, North Eastern Development Finance (NEDFi) Corporation House, several hospitals and thickly populated residential areas.
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89 bridges over the Bahini river to be demolished
Jha in his order said the list of 89 bridges over the Bahini river was submitted by the commissioner of Guwahati Municipal Corporation. These are “obstructing” the natural flow of water causing water logging problems in different places. He has directed GMC to demolish these structures immediately for smooth flow of stormwater during the rainy season so that necessary relief from severe waterlogging may be provided to the people.
“Whereas, I am of the considered opinion that, if these structures are not demolished immediately, the de-siltation work along the Bahini river will not be effective causing immense hardship to the residents of that area and public in general,” the order said.
The Congress leader claimed that over 80 bridges in Guwahati over Bahini and Bharalu rivers were demolished in 2008 and the current ones were built after necessary permissions and approval from concerned departments.
The Assam government recently carried out an eviction drive to clear around 400 bighas (over 132 acres) of land from alleged encroachers on the banks of Silsako Beel (lake) in the city.
The GMDA as a first step has set a target to clear 100 metres, around 400 bighas, on both sides of the lake, an official said.
