Help us shape a sustainable urban future for Northeast India

ARTICLES

PUBLIC SPACES

Parks are part of a city's basic public infrastructure. Like roads, footpaths, streetlights and playgrounds, they improve the quality of life for everyone. They provide children with places to play, families with spaces to spend time together, older people with safe places to walk and every citizen with cleaner air, cooler neighbourhoods and better physical and mental health. These benefits extend beyond the individual visitor. A healthier and more liveable city benefits everyone.

Opinion | Free Parks Are Not a Luxury - They Are a Democratic RightGuwahati opens all GMDA and GMC parks for free from December 2025, promoting inclusive public spaces. Civic responsibility, maintenance, and community engagement remain key to their success.

Opinion | Guwahati Deserves Better RiverfrontGuwahati’s riverfront development risks ecology and usability; experts urge trees, shade, and Traffic Impact Assessments.

WALKING

In 1897, Bridget Driscoll became the first pedestrian in the world killed by a car. World Pedestrian Day, observed every August 17, marks that death. More than a century on, walking is still our most common way to travel, and still the most dangerous.

This year's date matters more than usual. In June 2026, the Supreme Court ruled in Maniyar Iliyaz @ Shaik Riyaz v. P. Ayyappan that walking safely on a proper footpath is a fundamental right under Articles 19 and 21.

Opinion | The Right To Walk: What The Supreme Court's New Ruling Means For Guwahati's StreetsSupreme Court declares safe walking a fundamental right, highlighting Guwahati’s broken footpaths and pedestrian safety crisis.

PARKING

Vehicle ownership has grown rapidly over the past decade, but road space has not. In many parts of the city, parked vehicles occupy a significant portion of the carriageway, leaving less room for moving traffic, buses, cyclists and pedestrians. Residents often struggle to find parking near their homes, while commercial areas see vehicles parked on both sides of already narrow roads.

Despite this, Guwahati still does not have a comprehensive city parking policy.

Ask anyone in Guwahati what the city's parking problem is, and the answer is almost always the same: there isn't enough parking. Build more multi-level parking lots. Lower parking fees. Create an app to help people find empty spaces.

These ideas sound sensible. But cities around the world have discovered something surprising. Building more parking often makes traffic worse, not better.

The real problem isn't that Guwahati has too little parking. It's that the parking we already have is not managed properly.

ENVIRONMENT

Guwahati is fast axing its trees and undermining its future - Question of CitiesAmong Assam’s largest cities, Guwahati has turned into a huge construction site with a dwindling tree cover. The city lost 12 square kilometres of trees between 2001 and 2023 which is the size of London Heathrow airport while Assam’s forest loss in the past two decades is equal to losing two Delhis. The construction of roads, flyovers, and other projects has taken a heavy toll on trees. While people have come out to save them, the authorities are yet to realise that existing trees must be protected and new ones planted.

What lessons can we learn from Guwahati’s Dighalipukhuri movement?Assam is a comparatively underdeveloped state in India, plagued by insurgency, illegal immigration, rising income inequality, and a lack of employment

Deepor Beel needs 'development' but not at the cost of environmentDeepor Beel, a crucial wetland in Assam, has long been a sanctuary for biodiversity and an essential natural resource for the region. However, ongoing

METRO

When the Assam Government announced in the 2026–27 Budget that it would undertake a feasibility study for a metro rail system along the proposed Guwahati Ring Road, the announcement was welcomed by many. Better public transport is something Guwahati urgently needs. The city struggles with congestion, unreliable bus services, unsafe streets for pedestrians and limited travel options.

But before celebrating the arrival of a metro, one question deserves to be asked: Has anyone actually established that a metro is the best solution for Guwahati?

Every time Guwahati's traffic becomes a topic of discussion, one solution quickly appears on social media: "Metro will solve everything"

It is easy to understand why. Anyone who has travelled to cities like Delhi or Bengaluru or London has experienced the comfort and speed of a metro. Looking at Guwahati's worsening traffic, it is tempting to believe that a metro would solve the city's transport problems.

BUSes

Opinion | Buses in Guwahati: A green push that needs policy alignmentWhile the expansion of the electric bus fleet is a welcome development, certain policy and operational issues need closer attention to ensure that the transition leads to a genuinely efficient, equitable, and sustainable public transportation system.

Optimising Guwahati's Bus Transit SystemGuwahati deserves a better standard of urban transportation system, particularly a robust bus-based public transportation (BBPT) system.

ROADS & STREETS

Cars and Car Free Day(s)

The Past : The modern automobile or the car was invented and developed in Germany in the later part of the 19th century. It was mostly used by rich people as a toy rather than a mode of transportation due to its high price. Cars became common in America and Europe in the early twentieth century after the American Ford company started using assembly lines to produce them in large quantities and thus bringing its price down

ROAD SAFETY

Pedestrian and Cyclist Lives Matter: A Call for Safer Urban MobilityPedestrian and Cyclist Lives Matter: A Call for Safer Urban Mobility The Hidden Toll on Our Streets Every day, countless Indians choose to walk or cycle—whether to school, work, or the market. Yet, these simple, sustainable acts are fraught with danger. As per the 2022 Road Accidents in India Report 32,825 pedestrians and 4,836 cyclists were killed in out of 1,68,491 total fatalities on road accounting for nearly 20% pedestrians and 3% cyclists of all road fatalities . The recent accident involving Esow Alben, India's first World Championships medallist in cycling, underscores the peril. While training in Delhi, he was struck

Why are pedestrians not allowed to safely cross National Highway 27?The 18 km stretch of National Highway no 27, passing through the southern part of Guwahati, seems to have become an unsafe area. Many accidents, mostly

FLYOVERS

The Assam Budget 2026-27, the first budget of the newly elected government, confirmed a major transport project that had been announced earlier—a ₹3,423 crore elevated corridor between Jalukbari and Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport. Finance Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah presented it as part of a larger infrastructure programme being implemented with support from the Government of India. Earlier, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said that the corridor would reduce travel time between Jalukbari and the airport to just three minutes.

Why are flyovers still made? Blame the triad of society, govt and marketsIn the busy city streets, amid the noise of honking vehicles and the ceaseless flow of traffic, a familiar sight emerges – the construction of yet another

Opinion: Sorry, but flyovers will never ease Guwahati's traffic woesOn January 1, 2024, the Assam Government unveiled an ambitious plan featuring 8 Iconic Ticket Projects set to be launched in 2024. These projects, which

Does Guwahati need another flyover? Not reallyThere are almost no studies that cover the impact of a flyover on traffic over the former’s lifespan.

What will it take to build a congestion-free Guwahati?Out of the 50 lakh automobiles registered in Assam, 12 lakh alone are registered in Kamrup Metro DTO, giving Guwahati and its surrounding area a 25% share.

Will flyovers end Guwahati’s traffic jams? Experts say no | Guwahati News - Times of IndiaThere are 10 flyovers in Guwahati currently and two more will be coming up soon at Supermarket and Maligaon in the city. But, will it be a solution fo

CYCLING

Unequal City Streets: Reclaiming citizens’ rights to hold fitness and recreational events in GuwahatiUnequal City Streets: Reclaiming citizens’ rights to hold fitness and recreational events in Guwahati On April 9, 2025, the Office of the Commissioner of Police, Guwahati, issued an order under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, restricting all types of processions, rallies, marathons, walkathons, and similar events within Guwahati city limits. The reason cited was traffic congestion and potential delays to emergency services. An earlier notification released on February 10 had already banned all processions, under which cycle rallies and running events were also denied permission inside the city. The notification states that “Procession

Pedal for a Better Future: An Appeal for World Bicycle Day Top Stories | Watch Tower | Pollution, particularly from the automobile sector, contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, exacerbating climate-related challenges.

CYCLING SCENE IN ASSAM

The story of cycling in Assam goes back more than a century ago when Deshbhakta Tarun Ram Phukan brought and rode the first cycle in Assam. Since then, cycles have become an integral part of almost every Assamese family across the state. And despite motorized 2 wheelers being seen everywhere now, are actually fewer in number, and in comparison more than 70% of households in Assam still own a bicycle — this is per the National Family Health Survey of 2019–21.