'Smart city claim falls flat': Mira Borthakur slams govt over Guwahati waterlogging
Heavy rainfall disrupted Borthakur's campaign activities in Guwahati as she highlights recurring urban flooding and alleges administrative negligence
Mira Borthakur wades through a waterlogged street in Guwahati on Saturday. (AT Photo)
Guwahati, Mar 28: Amid incessant rainfall and severe waterlogging across parts of Guwahati, Congress leader and Dispur candidate Mira Borthakur, on Saturday, launched a sharp attack on the ruling BJP-led NDA government, accusing it of failing to address the city’s long-standing drainage issues despite branding it a “smart city”.
Braving the rain, Borthakur stepped out onto city streets to highlight the ground realities faced by residents.
She claimed that her scheduled campaign meetings for the day were disrupted due to flooding, which she described as an “artificial flood” caused by poor urban management.
“Today, I had several campaign meetings scheduled, but due to flooding, they had to be cancelled. This is not an isolated incident; it has been happening repeatedly. Even the main roads are submerged,” she said.
She added that the problem is not new and has persisted for the past four to five years, severely affecting daily life and mobility.
“The government calls this a smart city, but even after 10 years, it has failed to manage the drains properly,” Borthakur said, expressing frustration over recurring waterlogging on major roads.
Citing complaints from residents, she said she had received multiple calls from areas such as Rukminigaon, urging her to witness the situation firsthand.
“People are suffering and reaching out. The government had enough time during the dry season to clean and maintain drains, but no action was taken. Now, during the rains, they are resorting to reactive measures,” Borthakur alleged.
Reiterating her criticism, she said, “This government has not worked for the benefit of the people. The failure to manage basic civic infrastructure like drainage reflects a lack of planning and accountability.”
Borthakur also criticised the government’s flagship slogan, alleging a gap between promise and delivery.
“The Chief Minister speaks of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’, but if the same focus had been placed on solving waterlogging issues, the situation would have been far better,” she remarked.