Guwahati, August 3: In a shocking incident that has once again highlighted Guwahati’s growing urban flooding crisis, residents of the Six Mile-Panjabari area found themselves wading through knee-deep water on Monday evening—despite there being no rainfall in the locality.
Locals said the area did not receive even a drop of rain, yet floodwater suddenly accumulated along the Six Mile-Panjabari road, leaving commuters and pedestrians stranded. Meanwhile, heavy rainfall was reported in the Khanapara side, and severe waterlogging was also reported from Jorabat, where traffic movement was brought to a standstill.
The incident has once again raised serious concerns over Guwahati’s drainage infrastructure. Residents believe that while the city’s drainage network may have been adequate years ago, it has failed to keep pace with rapid urbanisation. With houses, apartments and commercial buildings coming up on almost every available plot, rainwater has fewer natural spaces to drain or percolate, eventually overflowing onto roads and low-lying areas.
“There wasn’t even a drop of rain”
Speaking to Guwahati Times, Anamika Saikia, a student of Karmashree Hiteswar Saikia College, described the situation as unbelievable.
“It is shocking how the road got flooded without even a drop of rain. It has become so difficult for us to return home. We now have to walk through knee-deep dirty floodwater just to reach the bus stand,” she said.
Residents blame poor planning
Another local resident, Alakesh Das, alleged that flooding in the area has become more severe after the construction of the Jyoti-Bishnu Prekshagriha auditorium in Khanapara.
“This kind of flooding started becoming serious after the new auditorium was built. Ministers and MLAs often say Guwahati is an unplanned city, but how was this project planned? Simply constructing a large auditorium isn’t enough. The government focuses on beautification, but there is little long-term planning for drainage and water management. I request Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to take the drainage issue seriously, otherwise the situation will only worsen every year,” Das said.
“Our homes now flood after just 30 minutes of rain”
Lutfur Rahman, a resident of Darandha, said flooding has become a regular occurrence in recent years.
“Earlier, there was no flooding problem in our area. But since 2026, the frequency of flooding has increased. Even 30 to 60 minutes of rain is enough to flood our house, and we are forced to live in those conditions,” he said.
Rahman further alleged that drains in the locality are rarely maintained.
“GMC workers hardly come to clean the drains in Darandha. Earlier, the government carried out major excavation work at Silsako Beel and claimed it would reduce flooding. But from what we are experiencing, flooding has only become worse,” he added.
Residents seek answers
As floodwater entered roads without any local rainfall, residents were left searching for explanations. Some blamed runoff from the Khanapara side, others pointed towards the city’s ageing drainage network, while a few linked the issue to unchecked urban development in the surrounding areas.
Whatever the cause, one fact remains unchanged—the people living in these localities continue to bear the brunt of Guwahati’s recurring urban flooding. Residents say they feel abandoned, alleging that neither the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) nor the government has provided a lasting solution to a problem that returns with every spell of rain.
Monday’s incident serves as yet another reminder that Guwahati’s flood problem is no longer confined to heavy rainfall. For many residents, even rain falling in neighbouring localities is now enough to leave roads submerged and daily life disrupted.