Guwahati, Nov 24: Assam housing and urban affairs minister, Jayanta Malla Baruah on Monday laid the foundation stone for a drain-cum-road project in the flood-prone Juripar area here.
The project, once completed, is expected to be a significant step towards resolving the area’s long-standing problem of artificial flooding during the monsoon season.
Addressing the gathering, the minister noted that Juripar is among the most flood-prone localities of Guwahati.
The Juri stream, once capable of carrying large volumes of water, has gradually become narrow and shallow, reducing its natural drainage capacity.
The minister further said that rapid urbanisation, Guwahati’s hill-based topography, and extensive deforestation coupled with development activities in the Meghalaya hills have sharply increased the volume and velocity of runoff water entering Juripar area.
“The rainwater that Juripar now receives from the hills once entered the area slowly and was naturally regulated by thick forest cover,” he remarked.
The minister further stated that the government has long planned an integrated drain-cum-road system to channel rainwater to Silsakoo, from where it will be discharged into the Brahmaputra.
“Implementation took time due to various infrastructural and financial constraints, but we are grateful to the residents of Juripar for their cooperation in making this project possible,” he said.
He informed that the project will adopt an open-drain design to prevent blockages caused by silt and mud flowing down from the hills.
Sharing updates on broader flood-mitigation measures, the minister said excavation work at Silsakoo, spanning nearly 800 bighas, was underway and would be completed within the current dry season.
