Guwahati’s rapid urban growth is reducing access to open grounds and community spaces across neighbourhoods
On most evenings in Guwahati, children turn apartment courtyards into playgrounds, joggers navigate traffic-clogged roads and families flock to a handful of crowded recreational spaces in search of fresh air. The scenes are increasingly common in a city where open space is becoming harder to find.
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As Assam's largest city expands, open grounds, playgrounds and community spaces are steadily giving way to apartment complexes, commercial establishments and infrastructure projects. The transformation reflects the pressures of rapid urbanisation, but it also raises a question that goes to the heart of urban life:
What happens when a city begins to run out of common ground?
For generations, urban commons have played an invisible but essential role in city life. They are where children learn to play, where communities gather during festivals and where residents walk, exercise and socialise without having to spend money. Unlike clubs, private recreation centres or gated residential amenities, commons belong to everyone, regardless of income, status or membership.
Yet as residential developments proliferate across the city, such spaces are becoming increasingly scarce.
According to a Guwahati-based developer, there is no specific requirement mandating the inclusion of large open grounds within apartment complexes. "The drawings are approved by the GMC or GMDA and then the project is built. The design depends on the kind of building you want to make and its aesthetics. There is no such rule for mandatory open spaces," he said.
The developer further noted that commercial considerations often shape how available land is utilised. "Parking space is a priority because it has monetary value. It can be sold. There is no direct monetary benefit from open space," he explained.
This dynamic is particularly evident in Guwahati, where many apartment projects are constructed on relatively small plots of land. As developers seek to maximise built-up area, residential towers often occupy most of the available space, leaving little room for substantial green areas.
The result is a city where open space is increasingly treated as a luxury rather than an essential component of urban living, raising questions about whether current development patterns adequately account for environmental concerns and the long-term well-being of residents.
The stakes are particularly high in Guwahati, which falls within Seismic Zone V, the highest earthquake risk category in India. Open spaces are therefore not merely recreational assets but critical components of urban resilience. In the event of a major earthquake, large grounds can serve as evacuation points, temporary shelters and emergency response zones, making their preservation a matter of public safety as well as public life.
Speaking to GPlus, a source from Guwahati Municipal Corporation said, “It is true that open spaces in the city have diminished over the years. However, we have also been able to reclaim and create public spaces through initiatives such as the riverfront development projects and the redevelopment of parks, some of which are free for the public. Another major project in the pipeline is the Integrated Directorate Complex at Betkuchi, where offices of various government directorates, which currently occupy substantial land within the city, will be relocated to a single campus. This will free up significant open spaces in the future, allowing us to put them to better public use."
"We have also successfully reclaimed the former dumping ground at Boragaon after processing the accumulated waste. Spread across more than 100 bighas of land, the site is now being developed into an urban forest, creating a valuable green space for the city”, the source said.
However, the list of large open spaces in Guwahati is surprisingly short. Even among the ones available, many are not entirely free to access. Several parks, riverfront attractions and recreational spaces require visitors to purchase entry tickets, creating a financial barrier, however small, to public use. While the cost may appear nominal, it limits the frequency with which residents can use these spaces.
"When I think of public spaces, I think of places like those in Delhi- open, freely accessible and available to everyone regardless of their background or income," said Ayesha Handique, a PhD scholar residing in Guwahati. "I find it troubling that something which should be inherently public is increasingly being commercialised. Access to open spaces should not depend on one's ability to pay."
"These spaces are certainly designed for regular public use. However, the moment a ticketing system is introduced, they become places for occasional visits rather than everyday use," said Shruti Bhuyan, a resident of Guwahati. "I find it difficult to imagine people visiting regularly when they have to pay each time.”
The debate is perhaps best reflected in Guwahati's recent riverfront developments, which illustrate both the possibilities and limitations of contemporary urban planning. The Brahmaputra waterfront has provided residents with new places to walk, sit and enjoy the river. These developments have undoubtedly enhanced parts of the city's public realm.
However, there is also a practical concern. Much of Guwahati's riverside infrastructure offers limited tree cover and shade. During large parts of the year, particularly in the summer months, the absence of mature trees reduces comfort and usability. Public spaces are not merely about beautification; they must be designed for everyday use in local climatic conditions.
While most respondents appreciated the aesthetic appeal of the riverfront developments, a common criticism was the lack of trees. Many felt that the limited shade reduced the usability of these spaces, raising questions about whether they are designed for everyday public use or primarily for short visits and recreation.
"Given the heat in Guwahati, it is difficult to spend extended periods in such open spaces when there is very little tree cover," said Tanya Agarwal, another resident of the city. "More shaded areas would make these places much more comfortable and usable."
"One thing that stands out to me is the lack of trees that are endemic to Assam's natural habitat in many of the newly developed riverfront areas," said Anubhav Das. "The transplanted trees do not appear to provide the same respite from the heat, nor can they immediately recreate the ecosystem that century-old trees had established over decades. Public spaces should not only look appealing but also be ecologically rooted in the landscape they occupy."
Moreover, the existence of a handful of large recreational spaces cannot compensate for the disappearance of neighbourhood-level commons, residents argue. While riverfront developments and major public attractions draw large crowds, they are not a substitute for the small parks, playgrounds and community spaces embedded within localities.
"The riverfront area is buzzing with people and can feel a bit overwhelming for regular use," said Namrata Buzar Baruah, a resident of Guwahati. "In recent years, the city has lost many of the community spaces where people could gather. Small children's parks, for example, have become quite rare. Instead, we now have a few large recreational spaces, which is why they are always crowded."
Her concern reflects a broader challenge facing the city. While recent years have seen the creation of a few large recreational destinations, many residents argue that these cannot compensate for the gradual disappearance of smaller, neighbourhood-level spaces.
As evening falls across Guwahati, residents will continue to make their way to the riverfront, a park, a café or whatever open space they can find. But the crowds gathering in a handful of locations also reveal something deeper: a growing city's need for room to breathe.
As Guwahati continues to expand, the challenge may not be whether it can build more roads, apartments or commercial complexes, but whether it can preserve enough common ground for the public to remain part of the city it is creating.
