Business North East (BNE) recently spoke to Ashish Bharali, Spokesperson and Councillor of Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC), to get insights into the city’s preparedness for monsoons, construction waste management, waste-to-resource initiatives, and completed urban development projects.
Bharali stated that the actual period of artificial floods in the city typically begins in June with the onset of monsoons.
“We have been working under the guidance of our Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and DoNER Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah. The GMDA, GMC, and PWD have been collaborating in a coordinated way,” Bharali said.
He added that nearly 400 drains across the city are being cleaned, along with river stretches, and the cleaning efforts are expected to be completed by May 20.
However, despite visible waterlogging recently, Bharali pointed out a significant improvement,
“Earlier, it used to take 24 to 48 hours for the water to recede. Now, the situation has improved, and water drains out within 2–4 hours.”
He further emphasised that their goal is to reduce this drainage time to one hour, a benchmark that would signal real progress toward flood mitigation in Guwahati.
With multiple infrastructure projects underway in the region, including flyovers at Rukmini Gaon, Bharali clarified that construction waste has been minimal.
“These projects are being constructed on existing roads, so there’s hardly any demolition involved. Whatever little waste is generated is repurposed at the site itself — either under the flyover or for nearby parking areas,” he noted.
In addition, GMC uses designated dumping grounds at Boragaon and Belortol, although household waste is mostly directed to Belortol now.
Reflecting on the achievements of GMC over the past two and a half years under Mayor Mrigen Sarania’s leadership, Bharali listed several completed projects:
60 Public Toilets: Constructed across 60 wards of Guwahati.
70 Community Halls: Built to cater to local needs.
700 Roads Constructed: “In my own ward, 16 roads have been built,” Bharali stated.
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Crematorium Upgrades: With budget allocations of Rs 20 lakh.
Street Lighting: Coverage extended to nearly 90 per cent of Guwahati.
Highlighting a specific case, he cited the construction of a modern toilet facility at the historic Beltola Bazaar, improving hygiene for vendors who arrive early in the morning.
“Earlier, vendors had no sanitation facility. Today, they can access a clean and hygienic toilet, which is a huge step forward for their dignity and health.”
Bharali acknowledged that Guwahati’s growth challenges stem from its unplanned layout compared to cities like Chandigarh or Indore. But he remained optimistic:
“We still have two years left in our term, and we promise Guwahatians that more work is on the way. Our mission is to deliver a cleaner, smarter, and flood-resilient city.”
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