In a first, the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) will soon come up with a standard operating procedure (SOP) to prevent the practice of piling construction materials on roadsides, thereby causing heavy traffic congestion, blocking footpaths and siltation of drains.
GMC commissioner MN Dahal told that the civic body has received numerous complaints from people regarding the matter. “We have already started imposing penalties on those who have been found dumping construction materials on the roadside. We are cracking down on such practices across the city. No one can occupy public spaces for personal use,” he added.
Dahal said the GMC is currently imposing a small amount of penalty as “a symbolic enforcement”, so that people become aware of its harmful impact and avoid such a practice. “The SOP will be issued soon. Following that, heavy penalty will be imposed on those found violating the SOP,” he added.
He said, “The residual parts of construction materials kept on roadside flow into the drains. This raises the bed of the drain, thereby causing artificial flood during the monsoons. Desilting drains and keeping them free of garbage, particularly plastic waste, is a key step for flood mitigation in the city.
Desiltation of drains, which we do every year before the monsoon begins, is a tedious and very expensive process. A little bit of awareness among people can bring a huge change and save public money as well as help mitigate floods.”
Earlier, the GMC did not take any step to prevent such practices despite repeated complaints.
Soneswar Kalita of Geetanagar, who has been living in the area for over 50 years, said, “Pedestrians cannot use most of the roadsides and pavements in the city. Either street vendors encroach upon the footpaths or people stock up with construction materials obstructing pedestrians’ movement. No civilized person or society does this. I had lodged two to three complaints with the GMC earlier, but all fell on deaf ears.”
Welcoming the GMC’s plan, Kalita urged the civic body to free the city pavements for smooth movement of pedestrians, which is one of the key factors to make Guwahati a “smart city”.
