Naba Sharma
Rinku Sharma
In an exclusive interview with Enigmatic Horizon, Mrigen Sarania, Guwahati’s Mayor, talks about several developmental projects in the city, problems in the city such as water logging, and the future plans of the government for the city.
There are various new developments in progress in the city of Guwahati. Which of these initiatives do you feel are the most important?
Guwahati is kept clean and green by the collaboration of numerous departments in the city. A number of departments, including the GMDA, PWD, GMC, and Water Resource Department, collaborate to beautify the city. All of the work that the GMC has been undertaking has my personal involvement and attention. The numerous new initiatives that are under progress excite me. In every ward, we are constructing public toilets and community centers. There are also numerous road construction projects in progress. We’ve built about 392 roadways. We’ve done everything we can to completely dispose of the waste. In order to make Guwahati a clean place to live, we are carrying out a number of development projects there. I feel each one of them is important.
One of the biggest problems Guwahati faces is the problem of water logging. What efforts are being made to address this issue?
Numerous locations, including Downtown, Hatigaon, Sijubari, Anil Nagar, and Rukminigaon, experience water logging issues. We have taken action to address the issues with water logging in certain regions. We are working to make Guwahati flood-free at the instruction of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and we are making good progress in that direction. Every effort has been made to prevent flooding in Guwahati. The drains are being cleaned by GMC and PWD. We are also attempting to solve the issue of low-lying areas becoming flooded.
The administration has taken good action to transform the city. What do you think about that?
Himanta Biswa Sharma’s administration has undertaken various efforts to make Guwahati a beautiful city. A great number of locations have flyovers built now. There will be even more flyovers that will be built in various locations. In addition, the government has constructed parks in several locations such as Maligaon, Hengrabari, and Paltanbazar areas. The government has installed intelligent traffic signals and lights at key locations. The city will undergo significant development during the next two years. To put it briefly, the government is making every effort for the people.
What are your expectations from the government?
The city’s development has been the focus of the Himanta Biswa Sarma government. The major concerns facing the state have been seriously noted by the state administration. The government has also given us the necessary funding to carry out development activities. Over 300 roads will be built by the PWD in the upcoming years. The state would see work totaling about Rs 300 crore. The state’s development is being facilitated by this government’s collaboration with the people. Under the Chief Minister’s direction, the state is developing positively. Assam as a whole and Guwahati individually have begun to grow.
What do you think the future holds?
GMC has dramatically changed Guwahati over the past few years by modernizing the city’s fundamental infrastructure, streamlining ineffective administrative procedures, and implementing some cutting-edge strategies for bettering the delivery of citizen services.
We have prepared a road map for the development of Guwahati in our effort to make it a smart city. In the upcoming four years, we have a plan to make the city clean and green. We would work to address the main problems, such as access to safe drinking water, clearing blocked drains, preventing water from backing up onto roads, installing street lights, constructing parks, Bhorolu beautification work, etc. In the upcoming years, Guwahati will see a number of construction projects. The east-west corridor would be built through Guwahati, the Gateway to the Northeast. The city would also be expanded to include the Barak Valley, North Guwahati’s Changsari area and Jagiroad. There will also be a link road built. In the upcoming years, the city of Guwahati will undergo significant development.
You have participated in a number of Guwahati development projects. You must have encountered challenges while performing this. Please elaborate on those.
I firmly believe that if we are motivated to work, we can do it effectively. I would not call this a challenge. To better the lives of the residents, our department has established the cornerstones for a number of initiatives in the city. In Guwahati, the working environment is good. The state’s overall development is being worked on by a number of departments and wards. We also make sure that the works of the municipal corporation are fast-tracked. I believe that under the guidance of the Chief Minister, every department is doing great work to bring about positive changes in the city. In four years, Guwahati will undergo significant change, and in the years to come, we will witness a self-sufficient, beautiful and smart Guwahati.
