Guwahati: The Assam government has ordered to demolish as many as 89 bridges built over a river in Guwahati.
The government has undertaken the steps as part of its effort to mitigate water logging in Guwahati city.
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As per reports, the order was passed by the government on Thursday but was not shared with the media.
Public interference or hindrance during the execution of the demolition will be considered as an obstruction to public service and legal action may be initiated as per prevalent acts and norms, the order issued by the Kamrup metropolitan deputy commissioner and chairman of the district management authority, Pallav Gopal Jha said.
Though the directive was issued on Thursday, it was not shared with the media by the authorities.
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It was made available to the media on Monday by Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia.
The order said it was passed ex-parte due to the ‘emergent nature for mitigating the urban floods’. The bridges, some concrete and others iron structures, include those connecting the state zoo, the SBI Dispur branch and the local head office, the NABARD office, North Eastern Development Finance (NEDFi) Corporation House, several hospitals and thickly populated residential areas.
DC Jha in his order said the list of 89 bridges over the Bahini river was submitted by the commissioner of Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC).
These are “obstructing” the natural flow of water causing water logging problems in different places. He has directed GMC to demolish these structures immediately for smooth flow of stormwater during the rainy season so that necessary relief from severe waterlogging may be provided to the people.
“Whereas, I am of the considered opinion that, if these structures are not demolished immediately, the de-siltation work along the Bahini river will not be effective causing immense hardship to the residents of that area and public in general,” the order said.
The Assam government recently carried out an eviction drive to clear around 400 bighas (over 132 acres) of land from alleged encroachers on the banks of Silsako Beel (lake) in the city.