Feb. 8: Consultant engineer J.N. Khataniar has come forward with a proposal for a ring road that conforms to the city’s topography after the ministry of urban development recently suggested construction of one here to ease traffic pressure on internal roads.
The ministry had recently advised Dispur through a letter to construct a ring road around the city on the lines of the one in Surat where the ongoing project is not being funded either by the Gujarat or central governments. Instead, the project is cashing on the increase in land value along the road because of its construction to fund itself and even earn profits for the state exchequer.
Khataniar said Surat, unlike Guwahati, is on plain ground. Hence, it would not be feasible to execute the Surat model here. “Guwahati is an unplanned linear city, surrounded by hills in south and east and the Brahmaputra flowing along the southern side from east to west.”
He appreciated the ministry’s advice to Dispur and said the ring road around Guwahati would be oval instead of circular because of its topography.
According to Khataniar, the city would get a ring road if a new road were constructed along the Brahmaputra, parallel to MG Road. He said the existing roads would work as part of the ring, provided these are repaired and widened.
“The main junction of roads on the western side at Jalukbari point is well connected by the NH37, a four-lane bypass, with Khanapara point, another important junction of some important roads. From Khanapara, the existing road from Six Mile to Narangi to Noonmati to Vivekananda Kendra at Uzan Bazar river bank is already well connected and may be further developed into a peripheral road.”
“The main problem in the city is the existing MG road which connects Uzan Bazar from almost middle of the city to Jalukbari circle via Panbazar, Fancy Bazar, Bharalumukh, Kamakhya, Maligaon and Adabari. Its carrying capacity is very limited as it passes through thickly populated areas, without having further provision of widening. So, a new expressway may be constructed along the river bank from Uzan Bazar to Jalukbari via Bharalumukh and foothills of Kamakhya and Pandu to complete the orbital motorway,” he said.
He said the new loop would ease the traffic congestion within the city a lot.
“A beautiful and organised riverfront may be planned along this new expressway and developed on reclaimed land towards the river bed in a scientific way with proper parking space. Beautiful footbridges or pedestrian crossings would connect the new riverfront,” he said.
Khataniar suggested that the state PWD, along with the authorities concerned, might initiate an on-the-spot study on this ambitious project as suggested by the ministry.
The ministry had said rapid unplanned urbanisation had made commuting within city limits a difficult proposition, as connecting roads were very narrow and poorly planned. Inter-city traffic, too, passes through the main thoroughfares, creating more congestion.
The ministry asked Dispur to issue necessary instructions to all authorities concerned for identifying the possibilities of the ring road and get a proper study done about various stages of the project.
