Same problem, different town - Dhubri faces waterlogging in the absence of drains

A biker wades through a waterlogged road in Dhubri town. Telegraph picture

Dhubri, July 8: Waterlogging in Dhubri owing to the faulty construction of drains and encroachment on major channels and outlets has caused severe inconvenience to residents of this lower Assam town.

Several areas of Dhubri town faced waterlogging, including Netaji Subhas Road, which passes through the heart of the town.

Apart from this, all the low-lying areas particularly wards 3, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 are inundated at the slightest downpour.

Tapas Paul, a resident of ward 12, alleged that despite their repeated pleas to all the development agencies, including Dhubri Municipal Board and Dhubri-Gauripur development authority, to construct a major outlet to flush out the water of wards 12 and 13, the work was not done.

“Wards 12 and 13 are close to the Brahmaputra but the residents have to face waterlogging as there are no drains or outlets for the rainwater to drain into the river in these areas. Unscientific and faulty construction of roads has caused this problem,” Paul alleged.

A senior government engineer in Dhubri district said the town has developed haphazardly without any real planning.

“First of all, the natural water channels in Dhubri are either totally encroached upon or have become narrow. Secondly, major drains and outlets which connect to these natural channels too are clogged or are unable to keep the flow of water because of insufficient depth,” the official said.

He, however, said without mapping the topography of the town area, construction of building, drains and roads would yield negative results.

Dhubri has been facing floods and waterlogging for quite a long time despite the fact that town is surrounded on three sides by the Gadadhar and the Brahmaputra and if the drainage system is planned scientifically the rainwater can be flushed out to these two rivers, the official said.