Residents of the Garchuk–Pamohi area on the western outskirts of Guwahati have expressed growing frustration over the prolonged closure of a key bridge on the Garchuk–Pamohi main road, alleging official apathy and lack of progress in repair work.
According to local residents, the bridge was closed to traffic during the last week of March 2026 after being declared unsafe. More than three months later, they claim that no visible repair or reconstruction work has been undertaken on the ageing structure, which was built by the Public Works Department (PWD) around two decades ago.
The closure has severely disrupted connectivity between Pamohi, Garchuk and the nearby National Highway-27. Commuters are now forced to take a longer diversion via Nawagaon Tiniali and Bhabananda Boro Path, leading to heavy traffic congestion, particularly near major institutions such as Delhi Public School Guwahati, Peerless Hospital and Sanskriti – The Gurukul.
Residents say the situation worsens during peak hours as heavy trucks and commercial vehicles also use the diversion route, creating bottlenecks and increasing travel time for office-goers, students and emergency services.
Local businesses are reportedly bearing the brunt of the disruption. Traders associated with the Pamohi wholesale vegetable market and several small enterprises in the area have complained of declining customer access and increased transportation costs.
Adding to public resentment is the fact that a newly constructed Bailey bridge, intended to serve as an alternative route for light and medium vehicles, remains unopened despite being ready. Residents allege that the temporary bridge has been lying unused for weeks, with authorities yet to provide any explanation for the delay.
"The old bridge remains closed, no repair work is visible, and the alternative Bailey bridge is not being opened. The public is suffering without any clear information from the authorities," said Manoranjan Das, a resident of Pamohi.
The road is also considered an important route for visitors travelling to and from Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, offering a scenic drive along the fringes of Deepor Beel. Locals fear that the prolonged disruption is affecting both tourism and daily transportation.
Residents of the Garchuk–Pamohi area have appealed to the district administration, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and newly elected local MLA Vijay Gupta to intervene and direct the PWD to expedite the repair work and immediately open the Bailey bridge for public use.
The affected residents have demanded transparency regarding the status of the project and a definite timeline for restoring normal traffic movement on the vital road link.
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