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Construction & power outages: Guwahati's summer of discomfort

As flyovers rise and temperatures soar, residents battle daily blackouts, dust, noise, and sleepless nights

By Himadri Kalita
Construction & power outages: Guwahatis summer of discomfort
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A file photo of ongoing construction work on the GNB Flyover near Chandmari. (AT Photo)

Summer in Guwahati was never meant to be this harsh. The heat, yes — it’s always been part of the bargain. But this year, the soaring temperatures come with new accomplices - dust-laden air, crawling traffic, and maddening blackouts.

Across the city, the view has changed. Where trees once lined familiar routes, cranes now hover. Flyovers are coming — half-done, half-promised — casting long shadows over homes already gasping for respite. But for the people living along these corridors of construction, progress feels punishing.

From Dighalipukhuri to Noonmati and around the old Cycle Factory in Lal Ganesh in particular, power cuts are no longer an occasional nuisance — they’re routine; sometimes once a day, sometimes four or more.

Daily power pain

It’s a cruel double bind - live with the choking dust and noise of construction by day, then endure power-starved nights under a stagnant fan.

“Every morning and again at night, the power goes out — it’s unbearable on these hot days. We don’t know if it’s because of the construction or something else, but it’s a severe inconvenience,” said Amit Roy Choudhury, a resident near Barsapara Stadium.


A file image of the flyover construction in Chandmari (AT Photo)

Hrishikesh Mahanta, a resident of Lal Ganesh, said power cuts had become far more frequent in his locality ever since the new flyover construction began. “Earlier, outages were rare and the duration manageable. Now, it’s a daily affair,” he said.

He pointed to the chaos caused by construction equipment. “People are outraged. Every day, heavy machinery ends up snapping electric wires, which causes cuts lasting two to three hours — often during peak hours. Guwahati has turned into a city where people toil in the scorching heat all day and can’t even count on a peaceful night’s sleep,” he added.

Neeladri Dutta Patgiri from Silpukhuri echoed similar frustration. He said residents were rarely informed in advance about the outages. “It’s the result of poor planning. The government starts projects without groundwork, and in the end, it’s the common people who suffer,” he said bluntly.

For Darshit Barua in Ambari, the cuts are not just inconvenient — they’re crippling. “We experience power outages once or twice every day. It’s impossible to work from home under these conditions. The erratic electricity supply is a serious blow to productivity,” he said.

Speaking to The Assam Tribune, Assistant General Manager (AGM), Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL), Rupranjan Kalita said, “The power cuts is happening due to line shifting. The Public Works Department (PWD) is undertaking this work under the supervision of APDCL. We shut the power as per their requirements.”

On prior announcement regarding power cuts, Kalita said, “We make announcements through loudspeakers and messages sent to registered mobile numbers in affected areas. In Lal Ganesh, where outages last six to seven hours, we use mics to ensure people are informed — many may miss the mobile alerts.”

Revamp in motion

Notwithstanding the troubles linked to flyover construction, Assam’s power supply landscape itself is undergoing a massive transformation — and not just in Guwahati.

In a bid to improve electricity distribution and curb voltage fluctuations, the state commissioned 100 new distribution substations on July 11.

Another 96 substations, being built under the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)-assisted System Enhancement and Loss Reduction Project, are expected to be completed by December this year. The Rs 3,000-crore project is slated for overall completion by March 2026. Yet, despite the progress, significant gaps remain.

Estimates suggest that a sweeping overhaul of Assam’s transmission and distribution network would require an investment of nearly Rs 30,000 crore. One key concern is the skewed High Tension (HT) to Low Tension (LT) line ratio. While a healthy distribution system typically maintains a ratio of 1:1.2 to minimise losses and stabilise voltage, Assam’s current ratio stands at a lopsided 1:3.


A file image of an electric pole (Representational Image)

The state currently has nearly 3 lakh kilometres of LT lines — much of it outdated and in disrepair — contributing to recurring voltage issues and frequent breakdowns, particularly in urbanising areas like Guwahati where demand is rising sharply.

Meanwhile, as Guwahati sweats through outages, residents are left wondering - will development ever feel like progress, or just another burden the powerless must quietly endure?


APDCL announcing power cuts at a locality in Guwahati (AT Video)

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