New Road Excavation Permit System Launched in Guwahati
Mandatory Work Permits for Road Excavation
Guwahati, July 22: In a significant policy change, all road excavation activities in Guwahati will now require a work permit from the Disaster Management Department prior to commencement.
Urban Affairs Minister Jayanata Mallabaruah announced this initiative at Janata Bhawan on Tuesday, stating that relevant departments will first issue No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) to the agencies involved. Only after obtaining these NOCs can they apply for a work permit to begin any excavation work in the city.
Mallabaruah emphasized the establishment of a robust monitoring system to ensure adherence to these regulations and the timely completion of projects. He cautioned that non-compliance could result in legal repercussions.
“Every project must be completed within a designated timeframe. Prolonged excavation of roads is unacceptable. If the guidelines are not adhered to, legal action may be initiated under the Disaster Management Act,” the Minister stated.
To enhance coordination and ensure transparency in road-related projects, the Kamrup Metro District Administration has introduced an online platform named Path Samanway (pathsamanway.assam.gov.in).
This integrated system aims to facilitate better collaboration among various departments while enabling citizens to monitor the progress of road excavation in their neighborhoods.
“Completion timelines for projects have often been ambiguous. We will now implement a closure permit system, which will issue a closure certificate once the work is finalized,” Mallabaruah explained.
The application process will be fully digital. Mallabaruah noted that there will be specific timeframes for processing requests: emergency applications, such as those for pipe bursts, will be addressed within 24 hours, while other requests will be processed within 7 to 15 days.
He also mentioned that this system will initially be trialed in Guwahati, with plans to expand it across Assam if successful.