GUWAHATI, March 31 � Torrential rains ruined regular life in Guwahati and adjoining areas in the forenoon today, just as they did the evening before. Scores of people were held hostage in their homes and inside vehicles which were stranded on inundated arterial routes. Late arrival of employees in offices and establishments was something that left an impact on work.
Although the pre-monsoon showers did not spread over too many hours, the effects of roads and bylanes were felt within a short time. The busy MG Road witnessed water-logging at places around 10 am, and near Fancy Bazar vehicles had to move at a snail�s pace mindful of pedestrians waiting to cross the busy route.
The situation was worse on the GNB Road, where vehicular movement was greatly impeded by water-logging at two stretches. Ranjinee Phukan, a professional had to spend nearly an hour in her car to move from Chandmari to Silpukhuri around ten in the morning. Poor traffic management with inadequate police presence added to the woes of hundreds of commuters like her.
Unprecedented situations were witnessed on the RG Baruah Road with some vehicles getting bogged down in rainwater that remained on the route for over two hours. A journalist who had to traverse through the route said that he and fellow companions suffered inordinate delays after traffic came to a standstill.
The condition of those who were home was not much better in many areas of the city. At Kalipur and Bhutnath areas the water level rose to enter some households, and roads were covered with loose soil from the nearby hills. Among the worst hit, the Bhaskar Nagar area was inundated for several hours, a local resident reported. He blamed poor drainage for the situation that marooned the neighbourhood for a long time during which schoolchildren and office goers along with senior citizens had to endure an ordeal.
Some minor mishaps involving cars took place due to congested traffic conditions and poor visibility, but no major accident has been reported till the time of filing this report. A bus stop in Pan Bazar was damaged after a tree fell on it.
What happened in various localities and on roads during and after the rains have once again exposed the shoddy planning and execution of work by authorities handling the city�s drainage system. More worryingly, the downpour will also have a detrimental effect on a number of projects on drainage and road maintenance, which already have suffered from delays and cost overruns.
The showers, however, gave new life to the foliage of many trees which emerged green and fresh presenting a soothing spectacle for many residents of the city. In the Assam State Zoo, some animals and birds also enjoyed the rains as they came after a long dry spell.
