Guwahati’s LAP aims to transform congested areas, but implementation remains stalled amid land issues and public concerns
More than two years after Assam approved a plan to transform Guwahati’s congested core, the Local Area Plan remains stuck at the consultation stage, while the city continues to battle the very problems it was meant to solve: congestion, waterlogging and poor infrastructure.
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Approved by the Assam Cabinet on December 21, 2023, the Guwahati Central Area LAP aimed to redevelop ageing marketplaces, residential areas and institutional zones facing congestion, poor accessibility and inadequate public facilities.
But little has moved on the ground.
In the ongoing Budget session of the Assam Legislative Assembly, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma brought the LAP debate back into focus, pointing out that several states have successfully implemented similar projects and saying Assam too could achieve it with public support.
“Other states have brought in LAP in localities where urban planning is not up to the mark. They ask people to hand over the land to the government for redevelopment. The government then makes provisions for all public utilities, including drainage, streets and street lights, and ultimately returns the redeveloped land and property to the public,” the Chief Minister said during an intervention in the Assembly.
Citing Nabin Nagar as an example, the Chief Minister said that if residents cooperate with the government, the area could become a model for the rest of Guwahati. Nabin Nagar faces recurring waterlogging and flash floods every year.
He further said Assam already has its own LAP programme but implementation on the ground has remained a challenge.
Officials in the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) said LAP projects require public confidence and participation, adding that limited public support has slowed progress.
Guwahati is among the 25 smart cities selected by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) for LAP pilot projects. LAP is a sub-scheme under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), aimed at improving existing urban areas through better road networks, public spaces and redevelopment incentives.
Speaking to GPlus, a senior GMDA official said that for the Fancy Bazar LAP, the first such project proposed in Guwahati, to become a reality, consensus between citizens and the government is essential.
Landowners in Guwahati, including those in Fancy Bazar, would have to contribute small portions of land for widening roads and drains, the official said, adding that this remains one of the biggest challenges.
Calling the New Delhi and Dispur governments participatory in the process, the official said it was now time for citizens to become equally participatory.
A Guwahati-based architect explained that public concerns stem from uncertainty over implementation.
“Why do people have apprehensions about the intentions of the government? There have been instances when such Local Area Plan projects got stalled midway, or contractors abandoned the site,” said the architect.
While the Fancy Bazar LAP is still awaiting construction, the GMDA has initiated another LAP project near Sarusajai Stadium. The Detailed Project Report (DPR) is nearing completion, after which a tender will be floated.
According to the GMDA official, funding for the project will come from the Government of India’s Urban Challenge Fund. The Centre has established a Rs. 1 lakh crore fund to implement proposals under initiatives such as ‘Cities as Growth Hubs’, ‘Creative Redevelopment of Cities’ and ‘Water and Sanitation’.
“People need a success story to build confidence in the Local Area Plan. Once the Sarusajai project is completed, people will understand the utility and benefits of such urban planning,” the official said.
The objective of LAP is to address issues such as parking problems, narrow roads, water supply challenges, waterlogging and infrastructure gaps while improving the overall functioning and appearance of neighbourhoods.
The government had earlier planned to shift the Fancy Bazar market to North Guwahati. However, progress has remained limited, with residents and business owners citing lack of clarity, trust issues and concerns over the project.
To address land-related concerns, GMDA officials told GPlus that they have attempted to assure residents that LAP would not involve large-scale acquisition of private land and would instead bring multiple benefits to the area.
“For Local Area Plan, we don’t need possession of lands. What we may need, if at all, may be some small portions of land for widening roads and drains,” another GMDA official said.
According to officials and architects, residents could benefit through improved infrastructure, higher Floor Area Ratio (FAR) and increased land valuation.
“They will get a functional city, they will get a higher Floor Area Ratio (FAR), and higher valuation for their land,” said the architect.
Explaining further, the architect said that a person currently allowed a Floor Area Ratio of three floors could potentially construct seven or eight floors after implementation of LAP.
“Ultimately, it is beneficial for the public,” the architect asserted.
A Fancy Bazar businessperson, speaking on condition of anonymity, said political-level discussions were necessary for such a large-scale project to move forward.
“Government hardly consults with the public. There is a gap. People must be taken into confidence and they must be explained in simple language, avoiding jargons,” the businessperson said.
Several residents also highlighted the need for LAPs in other congested parts of Guwahati, including Ganeshguri, Paltan Bazar, Nabin Nagar and areas behind Nehru Stadium.
A Local Area Plan is a long-term initiative, but with Guwahati facing increasing pressure from rapid urbanisation, congestion and recurring floods, urban interventions have become necessary.
“Local Area Plan may not succeed in the first instance, but over time, it is bound to succeed,” the GMDA official said, citing Gujarat’s long experience with participatory urban redevelopment.
“Delhi has a strong urban planning structure. Its planning framework is also better because it is the seat of the central government,” the official said.
A LAP, officials believe, is particularly relevant for Guwahati because the city’s existing drainage infrastructure is unable to handle increasing volumes of monsoon rainwater and sewage.
“Our existing drains in Guwahati are incapable of carrying the massive amounts of rainwater. Only if we expand the infrastructure will the people of Guwahati have a better quality of life,” the GMDA official said.
The LAP site identified for Guwahati falls within the Guwahati Metropolitan Area (GMA) and is part of the Master Plan for Guwahati Metropolitan Area, 2025. Besides Fancy Bazar, the proposed area includes Panbazar, Uzanbazar and the Brahmaputra riverfront.
The proposed LAP area covers 297 hectares, with 113 hectares under private ownership involving around 3,000 plot owners, while 184 hectares fall under public domain. Of the public domain area, 62 hectares comprise roads.
“The LAP is a long-term plan with an approach to transform the area by encouraging redevelopment through incentive-based regulation and minimum use of forceful acquisition,” documents available on the GMDA website stated.
The plan aims to transform the area into a better-organised urban space for residents, businesses and visitors.
Improving major roads such as MG Road, Jail Road, SS Road, GNB Road, Assam Trunk Road and smaller roads including Kedar Road, MS Road, Dighalipukhuri Road, Tayabulla Road, MN Road, Ariz Path Road, Bhuban Road and Fayez Ahmed Road are among the key proposals under the Guwahati Central LAP.
Short-term proposals include improving sidewalks and streets, while long-term plans involve road widening, street redesign and improving the overall road network through incentive-based redevelopment.
For a city facing growing pressure from rapid urbanisation, congestion and recurring floods, the success of the Local Area Plan could determine whether Guwahati gets the planned transformation it has long needed.
However, the biggest challenge remains convincing citizens that the project can deliver what has been promised.
