The Public Works Department is considering landing the under-construction GNB Road flyover at the Khao Gali or Guwahati Railway Station roundabout, which would preserve the famous Dighalipukhuri’s vegetation. Senior officials from the Public Works Department, Roads, reportedly discussed the revised proposal during a meeting on Wednesday night The meeting was called by Chief Secretary Ravi Kota after Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma instructed the Department to look into ways to branch out the flyover that was still under construction without endangering the century-old trees surrounding the famous Dighalipukhuri.
Chief Minister Sarma announced on a well-known microblogging platform that he has requested that the Department “prepare a draft traffic flow to ensure the flyover ends on GNB road itself…” “In order to prevent the destruction of heritage trees in the Dighalipukhuri area, instructions have been given to design a draft traffic flow that ensures the flyover ends on the GNB road itself or any other alternate road. Within a week, the PWD team will provide their findings with suggested methods,” the Chief Minister stated. The Chief Minister had asked for more time to consider alternatives for the Dighalipukhuri trees earlier in the day, after public outrage.
The Chief Minister had asked “all stakeholders to allow the Public Works Department a few days to explore an alternative proposal and assess its feasibility,” reassuring the public that his government is dedicated to protecting the city’s flora, legacy, and environment. As the protest grew more intense at the location on Wednesday afternoon, it appeared that the Chief Minister’s appeal had little impact on the demonstrators.
