Guwahati’s longest flyover opens, but Chandmari bottleneck remains

Guwahati, March 15: The opening of the Maharaj Prithu Flyover for vehicular movement has failed to bring the expected relief from traffic congestion, as long queues of vehicles were witnessed near the roundabout at Chandmari on Saturday.

Built at a cost of over Rs 852 crore, the longest flyover in the Northeast was inaugurated by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on March 10, and was kept open for pedestrians as a walking zone for three days after the inauguration. Vehicular movement on the flyover began on Saturday.

However, commuters experienced traffic congestion, particularly during the evening hours on Saturday. The roundabout at the Chandmari point turned into a major bottleneck, slowing down traffic and causing vehicles to pile up on the flyover.

Several commuters said the situation appeared almost unchanged despite the construction of the flyover.

“We thought the flyover would reduce traffic and help us cross the area faster. But the jam at the Chandmari point is still the same,” said a commuter who regularly travels along the route.

Another vehicle owner said the roundabout near Chandmari was creating confusion for drivers.

“Vehicles from multiple directions are merging at the same point, which is slowing down the traffic movement,” he said.

Two police personnel were seen managing traffic at the junction in an attempt to regulate the flow of vehicles. Despite their efforts, congestion continued during peak evening hours.

Some commuters also pointed out that the road beneath the flyover seemed less crowded compared to the elevated stretch.

“It is actually easier to use the road below the flyover as there is comparatively less congestion there,” another commuter said.

Authorities have been asked to review the traffic management system around the Chandmari roundabout so that the flyover can effectively ease congestion in the area.