Shift of the Capital of Assam to a seismologically safer zone

August 12 sees an earthquake measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale.

August 19 is witness to 4.9 on the Richter scale.

August 31 brings in 5.3 on the Richter scale.

September 4 ropes in 5.9 on the Richter scale.

Being situated at the junction of two great geographical plates, the most affected is Guwahati and Shillong.

Guwahati is one of the best examples of how human ecological mismanagement and haphazard constructions can usher in man-made natural disaster and climate change of the worst kind.

Since Guwahati is a valley surrounded by hills on three sides, it becomes a flood plain in the wake of dense human habitation and encroachment of the bogs and fresh water lakes (‘beel’s). The best solution at this hour is to shift the capital of Assam to an area which is not a flood plain and not surrounded by hills. This sort of geographic location would help an urban centre to spread out better than a place like Guwahati whose widening is obstructed by hills.

In 1962, during the Chinese Aggression, the Chinese authorities rightly identified Tezpur to be the best stronghold in the plains of the North Bank of the Brahmaputra. I wonder how long would it take for the urban planners (if they really exist) in Assam to realize that, or will they ever realize?

The coming up of the Koliabhumura bridge is one of the best positive development in the area. This can convert Tezpur in the North Bank and the sleepy Koliabor in the South Bank as twin cities as well as the twin capital of Assam. Morever, both Tezpur and Koliabor being located right in the middle of the State of Assam, it would be convenient for people across the length and breadth of the State to commute for work and study. What more, the area is also the centre-point of the entire North-East. It can be well connected to the districts and towns of South Assam too.

If the project falls into the hands of polished town planners and world class city designers, both Koliabor and Tezpur would turn into a well-planned city like Chandigarh.