Construction of flyover: Assam Government to review plans to cut century-old trees in Guwahati

Assam CM reconsiders felling century-old trees for flyover amid public outcry in Guwahati, promising to explore alternatives.

Amidst ongoing public outcry, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday (October 30, 2024) said the Government will reconsider its plans to fell dozens of century-old trees in Guwahati to make way for a flyover.

On Tuesday (October 29, 2024), prominent personalities and residents criticised the BJP-led government for planning to chop around 25 trees — some as old as 200 years — along the banks of Dighalipukhuri tank for the project. The protests continued on Wednesday, with college students, citizens and local leaders gathering at Dighalipukhuri to voice their concerns.

"I want to assure you that the government is deeply committed to preserving our city's heritage and environment while advancing infrastructure. In constructing the flyovers from Dighalupukhuri to Noonmati, we are sincerely working to protect the old trees in the area. I urge all stakeholders to allow the Public Works Department a few days to explore an alternative proposal and assess its feasibility," Mr. Sarma said in a post on X.

The government is constructing a four-lane 5.05 km long flyover, the longest in the city, from Dighalipukhuri to Noonmati at a cost of ₹852.68 crore. It is scheduled to be operational by 2026.

People hit the streets on Tuesday (October 29, 2024) and protested the government's move to cut the trees on the banks of the iconic pond for the ongoing construction of the flyover.

Later, they submitted a petition to the Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court and requested him to take suo motu cognisance of the matter, which is very important for the welfare of the environment.

At night, hundreds of people, including singers, actors and students of Cotton University, held a vigil in the area to prevent the administration from cutting the trees. "Following the public protest during the day, we formed a group called 'Save Dighalipukhuri'. We will hold this night vigil till the High Court takes a decision on the PIL," SFI State Secretary Sangita Das said.