GUWAHATI: If you travel by public transport in the capital, chances are that you might catch potential voters talking about their real issues.
On Wednesday, this correspondent took a ride in one of those MUVs that ply on the Hatigaon-Bhetapara route and experienced voter angst over waterlogging firsthand. Guwahati received 43.5mm rainfall between Tuesday and Wednesday, which resulted in waist-deep water in several low-lying areas. As a consequence, traffic was thrown out of gear on a working day.
“This government has done nothing in the last five years,” said a passenger. Another chimed in, “Gas cylinder prices went up thrice in February alone.” A third passenger complained about voters being fooled by politicians who have been “spending lakhs of public money on helicopters to campaign for the elections”.
Other residents also expressed their disappointment. Sanjeev Hazarika posted on social media a photograph showing the front part of his house submerged. “We live in a metropolitan city, but the first heavy rain spell of the season has submerged the roads. How many more days we have to suffer like this?” Hazarika posted.
Waters didn’t recede even until Wednesday evening, making it difficult for people to commute, especially emergency services and first responders to crises.
Hatigaon resident Abul Hashem said clogged rains was the problem, made worse by the “lackadaisical attitude of the administration to maintain the drains and unclog them”.
The model code of conduct has halted the de-siltation work, but locals don’t buy the logic. “A brief spell of rain leads to knee-deep water. Since last night, nobody has been able to wade through this 1km stretch. What ‘development’ is this?” said a local shop owner.