Rehabari struggles with dilapidated roads, crime & traffic congestion

Guwahati, Dec 19: Rehabari, considered one of the oldest settlements of Guwahati, has been gasping for breath due to the lack of open public space, as well as the rise in petty crimes and dilapidated roads in the area making things worse for years.

Terming low-quality maintenance works as one of the prime reasons behind the dilapidated roads here, residents here have urged the authorities concerned to take adequate measures in the greater interest of the public at the earliest.

Speaking to The Assam Tribune, Pratul Chandra Das, a resident of the area said, "Rehabari is a flood-free area of the city. However, roads in the area don't sustain for long even after fresh construction. This is primarily because a section of the senior officials and engineers of the PWD (Roads) and other agencies seldom inspect the construction works for reasons best known to them."

"Currently, the construction of Piyali Phukan Road in the area is underway. Though the construction work had started before Durga Puja, it is yet to be completed, causing massive inconvenience for the locals, especially women, senior citizens and children," he informed.

Dwelling on the civic issues of the area, Das stated that due to the so-called developmental activities, the area has turned into a very congested settlement. Now, the shortage of open space has become a major problem for the residents here, he said.

"The clogged drainage is also a concern to us. Due to the lack of regular desiltation work, most of the drains overflowed during rainy days. Even the road connecting Rehabari from Apsara side gets waterlogged after a short spell of rain. Although some parts of the area have been covered by the government water supply scheme, many households are still depending upon private water suppliers throughout the year," Das said.

Runu Talukdar, another resident of Rehabari, alleged that frequent incidents of theft and other petty crimes have also become regular features in the area.

"We cannot keep anything outside our house. The rate of petty crimes is very high in the area. Similarly, people are also suffering due to the dilapidated condition of roads and many households have been enduring acute scarcity of potable water," she stated.

Senior journalist Sushanta Talukdar, who is also a permanent resident of the area, informed that as the area is well connected with different localities of its surroundings, criminals can escape easily from Rehabari after committing crimes.

Lack of proper police patrolling and an adequate number of street lights are also some of the main reasons behind such a situation, he said.

He also pointed out that following the construction of the Arya Nagar flyover, traffic congestion in the Rehabari area has increased manifolds. As a result, traffic snarls during pick hours have become a new normal in the area. Haphazard parking also causes various problems for commuters every day in Rehabari.

By Manash Pratim Dutta