After protests, Assam CM assures Guwahati flyover without felling old trees

Citizens groups took to the streets on Tuesday demanding the preservation of the city’s heritage and environment while building infrastructure

Updated - October 30, 2024 06:51 pm IST - Guwahati

One of the oldest trees around Guwahati’s Dighalipukhuri marked for felling for a flyover project.

One of the oldest trees around Guwahati’s Dighalipukhuri marked for felling for a flyover project. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

A day after citizens’ groups took to the streets demanding the preservation of trees around a historic tank in the central part of Guwahati, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said his government would explore an alternative alignment for a five km flyover.

The Chief Minister laid the foundation stone of a 5,053.20-metre four-lane elevated corridor from Dighalipukhuri to Noonmati in February. The project, estimated to cost ₹852.68 crore, is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2026.

Taking to his official X handle on Wednesday, he wrote: “I want to assure you that the government is deeply committed to preserving our city’s heritage and environment while advancing infrastructure. In constructing the flyovers from Dighalupukhuri to Noonmati, we are sincerely working to protect the old trees in the area. I urge all stakeholders to allow the Public Works Department a few days to explore an alternative proposal and assess its feasibility.”

On October 28, the local authorities marked 25 trees – some more than 200 years old – around Dighalipukhuri with yellow crosses for felling. Meaning ‘Elongated Tank’, the rectangular Dighalipukhuri is said to have a Mahabharata connection.

The markings raised an alarm as the trees are home to many birds and the parks flanking the tank are popular recreation spots in the city. The development almost coincided with a Right to Information reply in which the Public Works Department admitted no environmental impact study was conducted on the potential effects of the flyover in the area.

Several celebrities slammed the State’s BJP-led government for not heeding the sentiments of the citizens while pursuing the flyover project. They included singer Papon Angaraag Mahanta and filmmaker Rima Das.

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