Ropeway connecting Guwahati-North Guwahati to be opened in a month

Guwahati: Guwahati Development Department (GDD) minister Siddhartha Bhattacharya on Wednesday announced that Guwahati-North Guwahati ropeway will be open for public within a month.

Replying to questions during the ongoing Budget Session of Assam Legislative Assembly, Bhattacharya said that all ropeway works have already been completed and the government of Assam has obtained necessary operational safety certificate. Further, the state has approved Rs 5 crore for operation and maintenance of the ropeway.

Talking about Boragaon dumping of Guwahati Municipal Corporation, he said that the National Green Tribunal has asked the government of Assam to shift from its present location, however, GMC doesn’t have land for integrated solid waste management.

The said dumping ground in Boragaon poses a threat to the birds and animals of Deepor Beel.

Kamrup district administration identified four locations locations for shifting the dumping ground, which are in Basistha, Odalbakra, Burnihat and Chandrapur.

Bhattacharya informed that the state has taken up South East Guwahati Water Supply Project under GDD for development of the city. The project is being implemented by Assam Urban Infrastructure Investment Program (AUIIP), for which Rs 20.64 crore was allocated in FY 2016-17; in 2017-18, Rs 46.41 was ear marked. Rs 35.06 crore was allocated in 2018-19, and Rs 14.49 in FY 2019-20.

Under Guwahati Metropolitan Drinking Water & Sewerage Board (Guwahati Jal Board), JICA assisted Guwahati Water Supply Project and JICA assisted Guwahati Sewerage Project have been taken up. GDD has allotted Rs 550 crore from 2016 to 2020 for the water Supply project, and Rs 13.64 has been allotted for the sewerage project for the same period.

In projects implemented by Guwahati Smart City Limited, 30 bio-toilets have been installed for Rs 2.09 crore; 20 anytime water machines have been put up at the cost of Rs 9.53 crore; National Flag has been installed at Sarania Hills for Rs 2.91 crore, and Gandhi Mandap has been redeveloped at the cost of 2.92 crore. All these projects were implemented in 2017-18.

Meanwhile in 2018-19, LED street lights under project Jyoti-phase 1 were installed for Rs 13.21 crore.