Girl’s brush with death in open manhole highlights Guwahati’s rain-time dangers

Guwahati, May 31: A girl narrowly escaped a fatal accident after falling into an open manhole on a waterlogged Guwahati street during Friday’s torrential downpour. Pedestrians nearby rushed to her rescue, pulling her out to safety.

The incident has sparked citywide concern, with many calling it yet another glaring example of civic negligence amid Guwahati’s recurring monsoon chaos. It has once again exposed the city’s poor urban planning, unmonitored construction sites, and unsecured drains and manholes that routinely turn streets into hazard zones during the rains.

“This happens every year in Guwahati. Whenever there’s heavy rainfall, you hear of such incidents,” said Ankita Das, a local resident, voicing frustration over the city’s recurring monsoon hazards.

She recalled a tragic case from last year when a boy fell into a drain near Bamunimaidam and his body was found only days later. “Yesterday, thankfully, passers-by acted quickly — otherwise, the outcome could have been far worse,” she added.

Describing the current situation as terrifying, she said that with water covering entire roads, it’s impossible to distinguish between the street, the footpath, or any ongoing construction work. “It’s frightening to even step out of the house when it rains heavily,” she adds.

Since May 29, Guwahati has been pounded by relentless rain, with many areas submerged in knee-deep water. Schools and offices remained partially functional as children, professionals, and commuters wade through flooded roads with little to no civic support.

Earlier on May 16, Urban Affairs Minister Mallabaruah had issued an ultimatum to contractors working under the state’s Flood-Free Mission, demanding completion of essential mitigation work within three days, or face strict legal action, including possible imprisonment.

However, with Friday’s rain wreaking havoc once again, the promised improvements seem to have fallen short.

“Several agencies were working to provide relief and rescue to affected people as massive waterlogging was reported from most localities in the city on Friday,” he told the press, as he did an inspection of the water-logged areas in Juripar, on Saturday.

Despite multiple promises over the years to overhaul Guwahati’s drainage system, residents argue that little has changed.

With children falling into drains, flooded roads paralysing life, and incomplete construction creating daily hazards, citizens are demanding immediate accountability and urgent structural intervention from the state administration.

As if to confirm the grim forecast, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a Red Alert for Assam, predicting continued rainfall till May 31.

With water levels rising and drainage systems overwhelmed, the risk of similar, or worse, incidents looms large.