Road networking is an important aspect of transportation and a challenging issue that has emerged in the urban communication system. A perfect road network can play an effective role in a smooth communication system. But it requires evaluation of many thematic parameters and factors which are to be analyzed and to derive from them a plan to prepare a better network including provisions for better road attributes, as road networking is related to attributes of roads, landscapes, population and type of urbanization. In the context of Guwahati city, rapid haphazard urbanization took place during the past. Probably, it happened due to the lack of a suitable master plan and non-implementation of the existing master plan that needs more cooperation of the people with the municipal administration. As a result, urbanization has peaked with no consequent development of the social and physical infrastructures like new roads, bridges, settlements, organizations and institutions, etc. There is no doubt that Guwahati city is growing tremendously with a modern look. Simultaneously, other major problems are also increasing day by day which are mainly of urban floods, rising local temperature, degradation of hills and forests, shortage of open spaces, and more importantly, increasing traffic snarls in all parts of Guwahati.

Road congestion is the major problem in Guwahati due to which regular traffic snarls take place in all parts of the city. However, the government has taken many innovative measures, being implemented step by step. These include widening of GNB Road and GS Road, clearing of MG Road, setting up dividers on major roads, construction of a few flyovers at busy locations, which are practically effective solutions of short-term measures. Moreover, management of the social infrastructure system like upgrading parking provisions, changing of school timing, shifting of bus station, better traffic control operation, etc, are effective steps that have been taken up by the authorities.

In general, avoiding traffic congestion and saving time is directly proportional to decrease of pollution in the urban environment. The guiding factors of road alignment and smooth network are the two important parameters that help in the management of smooth traffic operation. The way of communication is also an important factor to ease traffic flow. The physical infrastructure like roads, railways, monorails, underground metros, flyover, ropeways, and tunnel are the types of land and subsurface communication units in the metro cities depending upon feasibility and necessity. From the point of terrains and landscape of Guwahati city, there is more scope for planning a better communication network for the city.

In the city, the traffic congestion has been a major problem prevailing for the last few decades. Lack of proportionate attributes of roads, population explosion, peak number of vehicles, rapid urbanization, location of social infrastructures, complex acquisition of lands, habitations before construction of roads, shopping area without parking place etc are the factors responsible for the traffic congestion. It has been found that in 150 sq km of core area of Guwahati, nearly 60 sq km (44%) is covered by the denudational hills and remaining 56% i.e. 76 sq km lies in the alluvial plains. Hillocks occupy a major portion of the city, which no doubt add to the natural landscape. A bird’s eye view of the city shows only 16 km between the Saraighat Bridge and Narangi Tiniali along the east–west aerial distance. Likewise, it is only 9 km between Lokhra and Umananda Ghat along the north-south direction. The important city roads like Lokhra Road, Fatasil Road, RG Baruah Road, VIP Road and various link roads are connecting the suburbs to the main city. These city roads are directed towards the central Guwahati zone and meet the two main roads -- GNB Road and GS Road. It is one of the major reasons for high traffic volume in these two roads. It may be noted that the main city roads are aligned in north-south direction. There is only one major road, which is the GNB Road (cum MG Road) that connects the city ends between Narangi and Jalukbari, except the NH-37 that has followed east-west trend.

The distribution of population size is also a concern for a smooth communication network. The city’s four parts are basically northeast, southeast, northwest and southwest. Communication between the southwest and the northwest parts of the city does not have a convenient road network. An innumerable number of city roads are available in the northeast portions and this portion has to take enough load of vehicles from each quarter of the city’s traffic. As a result, traffic problems are continuously increasing on these two major roads, namely GNB Road and GS Road. From the preliminary studies it has been found that at least one major road is required in the east-west trend through the middle corridor of the city.

There is a very little scope for construction of a road in the east-west alignment between the portion of NH 37 and GS Road due to heavy density of settlement. In the short-term measures, Kahilipara Road may be used as a busy road if it extends in the western direction. If the greater Dispur area can be connected with Maligaon area through the Kahilipara Road then there is a maximum probability of reducing traffic congestion on GS Road and GNB Road. Around 95% of the city buses run through these two roads. This is only because of shortfall of road alignment in the east-west trend.

It may be mentioned that from the preliminary observations, a 2.2 km length of roads having the tunnel length of about 1.5 km would be the most effective measure in reducing the existing distance of important locations of Guwahati city in between southeast and north-northwest. A 1.5-km tunnel through the Fatasil hills would be most effective in reducing the existing distance of about 3.7 km between the Fatasil Ambari and LCB College, 4.6 km between Dispur and Maligaon, 7 km between Lalganesh and LCB College and around 3.5 km between Six Mile and LCB College respectively. Moreover, there will be a maximum probability of reducing about 20% traffic volume on the busy GNB Road and GS Road. This route alignment would reduce the traffic jam in the central part of the city like Fancybazar, Kumarpara, Gopinath Nagar, Paltanbazar, etc. It is high time to search for an alternative route in the appropriate geographical location giving special emphasis on linking of East-West corridor by taking full advantage of the Kahilipara Road, link road of Fatasil and Lokhra Road for developing better communication among the central, southeastern and southwestern parts of the city. This is also important from the point of strategic geographical location and the demographic pattern. The proposed tunnel site can be easily developed by minimum damage of public property rather than constructing a road on the plains.

It may be mentioned that there is a narrow road named Dilip Huzuri Path that connects Fatasil and Maligaon areas through the Fatasil Hill. Maximum utilization from this road would be a fruitful measure concerning the traffic snarl near the Paltanbazar locality. Besides, at least a two-lane road tunnel through the Fatasil hills is urgently required keeping in view the different advantages due to reduced distances between the northwest and southeast parts of the city, saving time and money. The road tunnel under the hard rock terrain in the surface level is a possible option and the relevant departments may come forward positively with the investigation and feasibilities. This mega infrastructure inside the hard rock terrain could be very safe and resistant to seismic activities than the valley fill deposits. It is also a highly viable option for easy availability of raw materials for mega infrastructure.

From the preliminary spot survey, it has come to light that around 20 to 25 per cent of people travel by mass transport system towards the western side of the city beyond the Maligaon area. The southern part of Guwahati is also emerging as a major urban area due to setting up of different mega social infrastructure like stadium, bus terminus, educational institutions, trade and commerce outlets, etc. There is a maximum probability for increasing traffic volume on the National Highway-37 keeping pace with rapid development in its contiguous areas. The proposed road tunnel would definitely help in reducing traffic congestion in the NH-37 in the near future. The tunnel option to ease traffic can also be fruitful in other hills like Kalapahar, Japorigog, etc.

Space technology can provide existing road database of Guwahati which can help in transportation planning, design implementation, maintenance of transport project apart from traffic management. A proper traffic management plan may be carried out to find an efficient navigation/transportation system in the city of Guwahati to make it a soothing place for road users.

Moon Chandra Deka