Guwahati: Road repairs have accelerated across Guwahati ahead of Durga Puja, with PWD focusing on pothole-ridden stretches and other roads needing urgent attention.The work follows CM Himanta Biswa Sarma’s direction last month to repair roads in Guwahati and other major cities after the monsoon and floods recede, and before the festive season.Restoration work is underway in parts of Dispur, Narengi, Geetanagar and other areas.“Road repair is a continuous process throughout the year, but the monsoon posed challenges, particularly for stretches requiring bituminous surfacing. Frequent rainfall and waterlogging can prevent proper bonding and curing of the bituminous layer, while moisture on the road surface can affect the quality and durability of the repair work,” said Bhaskar Misra Bhagawati, executive engineer, New Guwahati Territorial Road Division.“As a result, the department often has to wait for suitable weather and relatively dry road conditions before carrying out repair works,” Bhagawati added.Bhagawati said waterlogging also made it difficult to carry out repairs smoothly. He added that roadwork by agencies handling water supply, sewerage, drainage, gas pipelines, electricity and other infrastructure often leads to repeated excavation and restoration.With the festive season expected to increase vehicular and pedestrian movement, authorities are under pressure to keep major roads motorable. Residents have also raised concerns about potholes and damaged surfaces, which can worsen congestion and endanger two-wheeler riders.“The roads are in a horrible condition, all filled with water. Riding on these roads without knowing what lies underneath is extremely dangerous. The roads of Geetanagar and Chandmari are particularly unsafe, with waterlogging making it difficult to identify potholes and damaged stretches. This poses a serious risk to commuters, especially two-wheelers,” said Geetanagar resident Prafulla Kumar.
