Citizens’ voice reaches CM Himanta’s ear, Guwahati flyover plan tweaked amid tree felling concerns

Speaking to reporters at the protest site, Sarma said: “We had asked the PWD how we can correct this. Now we have decided that… the flyover will not extend towards Handique (a prominent women’s college by the waterbody) and Dighalipukhuri”.

Protests began on October 29 after 28 century-old trees around Dighalipukhuri — a picturesque and culturally important historic tank in Guwahati – were marked for felling with yellow crosses painted on them. A section of a four-lane 5.05-km flyover – slated to be the longest flyover yet in the city – was proposed to be constructed along Dighalipukhuri and terminate beyond it.

Other sections of the flyover are already under construction.

Incidentally, the CM’s visit to the site came hours after the Gauhati High Court, which is hearing a Public Interest Litigation, issued a notice seeking the state government’s response.

A day after the protests began, Sarma announced on social media that the plan would be reconsidered.

The proposed felling of trees in the area has led to a rare mobilisation among residents of the city, with a section of citizens also questioning other projects in the city.

Most prominently, residents of the Bharalumukh area of Guwahati, by the Brahmaputra, have begun mobilising against a similar proposal to fell 70 trees for a new overbridge.

N Ahmed, a resident of the area who is part of the newly formed Citizens Coordination Committee, Bharalumukh, said they are planning a human chain later this week.

Meanwhile, Sarma, while announcing the change in plans, accused a section of protesters of “opposing development” for political gains.

“There are some people who are going and saying ‘they will cut trees here also, they will cut there also’. In the whole country, there are such large national highways happening, so the Indian government has already taken the decision that if one tree is cut, ten saplings will be planted… There is a section of people who love trees. Another section of people that want flyovers be stuck halfway so that people will still be stuck in traffic jams during the (2026 assembly) elections,” he said.