GUWAHATI: The Kamrup Metropolitan District Commissioner has been instructed to prepare a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) for drainage system maintenance in Guwahati, along with an annual maintenance calendar to prevent urban flooding.
ALSO READ: CJP Calls for Nationwide Candlelight March on July 25 for NEET Students Who Died by Suicide
At a review meeting on Friday, Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Kaushik Rai emphasised that drain cleaning should not be treated as a one-time exercise but carried out systematically before, during and after the monsoon, and whenever required following heavy rainfall.
All concerned agencies, including the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC), Public Works Department (Roads) and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), were directed to undertake extensive cleaning and desilting of drains across the city, including those along National Highways passing through Guwahati, to ensure smooth stormwater flow and minimise waterlogging.
The Minister stressed the need for coordinated action among all stakeholder agencies, stating that effective planning, timely maintenance and accountability are essential to tackling recurring urban flooding and improving Guwahati’s resilience against waterlogging.
The meeting was attended virtually by Commissioner and Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Affairs, Kavita Padmanabhan and District Commissioner, Kamrup (Metro), Swapnil Paul. Commissioner and Special Secretary, PWRD, Sanjib Shyam; Secretary, DoHUA, Jeevan B; Commissioner, GMC, Chinmoy Phukan; officials from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI); and representatives of other concerned agencies were also present.