From water and flooding to traffic and tourism, Guwahati’s new MLAs raise varied issues in the Assembly
What issues are Guwahati’s newly elected MLAs taking up in the Assam Legislative Assembly? An analysis of questions and interventions during the Budget session shows a wide range of concerns, from drinking water and flooding to traffic, urban infrastructure, tourism, agriculture and social welfare.
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The issues raised by the legislators also varied from constituency-specific concerns to matters affecting the wider Guwahati metropolitan area.
Central Guwahati MLA Vijay Kumar Gupta raised concerns over drinking water supply, particularly in the hilly areas of his constituency, where around 80,000 residents continue to depend on private water tankers for their daily requirements.
Gupta sought details on the status of water supply projects in various parts of his constituency.
While raising the issue in the Assembly, Gupta, a first-time MLA, was asked by Speaker Ranjeet Kumar Dass to put his question and come to the point. Gupta responded, “Give me two minutes, I’m a new MLA,” as he sought to place the background of the matter before the House.
On another occasion, Gupta spoke in support of a resolution backing one-third reservation for women in Parliament and state legislatures, to be implemented after completion of the delimitation process in the state.
He highlighted women’s role, safety, empowerment and contribution to society.
Soon after Gupta raised the drinking water issue, Dimoria MLA Tapan Das also sought to raise a question related to water supply in his constituency. The Speaker, however, told him that the House was taking questions related to Central Guwahati at that point. Das later raised questions on drinking water supply in his constituency on July 25, seeking a response from the concerned minister.
Gupta polled 1,01,297 votes in the Assembly election, defeating Asom Jatiya Parishad (AJP) candidate Kunki Choudhury, who secured 39,376 votes. Gupta won by a margin of 61,921 votes. He was also among the Assam legislators who took the oath of secrecy in Sanskrit.
Dimoria MLA Tapan Das raised the recurring flooding and waterlogging at Jorabat during Zero Hour on July 10, highlighting the inconvenience caused to vehicles using National Highway 27.
He sought details from the concerned minister and authorities on short- and long-term measures to mitigate the artificial flooding at Jorabat, the timeline for desiltation and improvement of drainage channels and culverts, and steps to curb hill cutting on the Meghalaya side.
The Jorabat stretch of NH-27 has repeatedly faced flooding and waterlogging, with traffic being diverted on several occasions following severe water accumulation and silt deposition. Light motor vehicles travelling towards Guwahati were diverted at Digaru, while vehicles heading out of the city were diverted at Koinadhara Point.
During the general discussion on the Assam Budget 2026-27, Das also sought government intervention to create a handloom and weaving revolution in his constituency.
“Our Assam has the highest number of weavers, we all know. Similarly, we want to create a revolution in our constituency so that the local women can earn a living from handloom and weaving,” Das said.
Referring to the flash floods and severe waterlogging in Jorabat, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the proposed Guwahati ring road project could help mitigate the recurring problem. “Rs. 150 crore has been earmarked under the ring road master plan. Consultants are preparing the drawings and have been asked to get them approved by IIT Guwahati,” he said.
On July 24, Das highlighted the potential of orange farming in Dimoria. Recalling the time when Sonapur was known for its oranges, he said the area was gradually losing that identity.
According to Das, the number of villages where oranges were previously cultivated is shrinking. He attributed the decline in interest among farmers and the reduction in orange production to a disease.
The MLA sought a post-production value chain, including cold storage, proper marketing, pack houses, food and agro-processing units, and value-addition centres.
“I am hopeful that we will revive the fame of Dimoria oranges, and export those someday in the future,” Das said, seeking intervention from Agriculture Minister Pijush Hazarika.
Das also called for proper market sheds for farmers from far-flung areas of Dimoria who travel to Ganeshguri, Beltola, Jorabat, Chandrapur and Panikhaiti bazaars to sell their organic produce.
Tourism was another area he raised in the Assembly. Das highlighted places including Khamrenga Beel in Chandrapur, Jagannath Mandir in Tetelia, Bogibari Satra in Kolongpar, Maa Kamakhya Devalaya in Khetri, Narasingha Than in Chandrapur, Ganesh Mandir in Hatisila and Ganesh Mandir in Nazirakhat.
He asked the government about initiatives and measures to improve tourism in Dimoria.
Das also proposed a facility near Jorabat along NH-27 where local tribes could promote their food, cuisine, attire and handicrafts to tourists travelling towards Meghalaya or Upper Assam.
He further proposed promoting and showcasing a clean village to tourists from Dimoria along the lines of Asia’s cleanest village Mawlynnong in Meghalaya.
Das had submitted several questions before the Assembly Secretariat, though not all were listed as starred questions.
In the Assembly election, Das of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) defeated Congress candidate Kishore Kumar Baruah in Dimoria by 65,385 votes.
Dispur MLA Pradyut Bordoloi raised issues spanning Guwahati’s urban infrastructure, traffic management, water supply, digital infrastructure, social welfare and economic development.
He sought details from the Minister of Act East Policy Affairs on initiatives to develop Guwahati as India’s gateway to ASEAN countries under the Act East Policy, including efforts to promote tourism, handloom, handicrafts and cultural heritage in ASEAN countries and the expected socio-economic benefits for the city.
Bordoloi also sought details of digital infrastructure projects implemented in Guwahati over the last five years, including financial allocations, expenditure and their present status. The projects included the Integrated Command and Control Centre, Smart Traffic Management, City Surveillance, Smart Poles, GIS Platform, Public Wi-Fi and Smart Governance systems.
On the economic front, he sought details of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), startups and manufacturing units established in Guwahati with assistance from the MSME Department, incentives under the Industrial and Investment Policy of Assam, and investment proposals received through Advantage Assam and other investment-promotion programmes, including their sector-wise value and implementation status. He also asked about measures to develop Guwahati as an industrial and commercial hub of the Northeast.
Bordoloi also raised questions on National Food Security Act (NFSA) beneficiaries, ration card holders and fair-price shops in Dispur constituency, including shops modernised with e-POS devices and digital authentication facilities.
On traffic congestion in Guwahati, he sought to know whether the government had conducted any traffic study, survey or scientific assessment to identify its causes and whether the Transport Department, in coordination with the Traffic Police, Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) and other agencies, had formulated a comprehensive action plan to regulate vehicular movement in the Guwahati Metropolitan Area.
He also asked whether the government proposed scientific and technology-based measures, including intelligent traffic management systems, AI-enabled traffic signal synchronisation, regulation of heavy vehicles during peak hours and strengthening of public transport.
Mental health was another issue raised by the Dispur MLA. He sought information on whether the government had conducted any scientific assessment, epidemiological survey or needs assessment on the prevalence of mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, stress-related disorders and substance-use disorders, among Guwahati residents.
He also sought details of psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, psychiatric social workers, psychiatric nurses, counsellors, inpatient beds and the annual number of patients treated over the last three years.
Bordoloi asked whether the government had formulated a comprehensive urban mental health strategy for the Guwahati Metropolitan Area, including school and college mental health programmes, workplace mental wellness initiatives, suicide-prevention measures, community counselling services, tele-mental health facilities and public awareness campaigns.
In another question, Bordoloi sought details of government-run, NGO-managed and private old-age homes, Child Care Institutions, Child Rehabilitation Centres and other rehabilitation centres in Dispur constituency, including their locations, capacity and number of beneficiaries. He also asked about proposals to establish new centres or upgrade existing ones.
He raised disaster-management awareness in schools, asking whether structured programmes had been implemented or proposed in schools and colleges in Guwahati on earthquake preparedness, evacuation procedures and safety measures during artificial waterlogging and urban flooding.
Bordoloi also sought details of disputed areas, if any, along the Assam-Meghalaya border falling under Dispur constituency, the status of discussions between the two governments and steps taken over the last three years for the development, protection and welfare of residents in the border areas.
On excise-related matters, he sought details of licensed wine shops, ON shops, bars and clubs operating in Guwahati, year-wise excise revenue collected from them over the last three financial years, and inspections and cases registered against establishments operating beyond permitted hours.
Water supply was another concern. Bordoloi sought the status of the South-East Guwahati Water Supply Project, which covers areas including Beltola, Dispur, Six Mile, Khanapara, Rukminigaon, Hatigaon, Panjabari and adjoining areas. He asked how many households in Dispur had received piped water connections under the project, how many remained to be covered, and whether any survey had been conducted on fluoride and arsenic contamination in groundwater sources in the constituency.
Bordoloi also sought community-wise Scheduled Tribe population data for Dispur (Bodo, Karbi, Mising, Rabha, Tiwa, Deori, Sonowal Kachari, Dimasa, etc.) along with details of schemes and projects implemented for the socio-economic upliftment of tribal communities over the last five years.
He also sought details of Anganwadi centres in Dispur, including sanctioned strength, beneficiary enrolment, operational status and vacant posts of Anganwadi Workers and Helpers, as well as proposals to establish new centres or upgrade existing ones in underserved hill areas.
In Dispur, Pradyut Bordoloi defeated Congress's Mira Borthakur Goswami by 49,667 votes, polling 1,03,337 against her 53,670. Independent Jayanta Kumar Das; who had earlier quit the BJP secured 22,802 votes, while AAP's Ballav Patra got 1,323.
Diplu Ranjan Sarma, the newly elected MLA from New Guwahati constituency made two interventions during the Budget session.
One came during the general discussion on the Assam Budget 2026-27, while the other was during the discussion on the Uniform Civil Code Bill.
Sarma did not submit any written questions during the Budget session.
He won the New Guwahati constituency by 47,668 votes against Congress candidate Sanatanu Bora.