Guwahati, March 15: The opening of the Maharaj Prithu Flyover to vehicular traffic on Saturday, March 15, did not ease congestion as expected, with long queues forming near the Chandmari roundabout during peak hours. Commuters reported slow movement and vehicles piling up on the elevated stretch, turning the junction into a major bottleneck.
Built at a cost of over Rs 852 crore and billed as the longest flyover in the Northeast, the structure was inaugurated by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on March 10 and was initially kept open to pedestrians as a walking zone for three days. Vehicular movement on the flyover began on Saturday.
Despite the new route, evening traffic at the Chandmari roundabout remained heavy, undermining hopes that the flyover would quickly unclog the busy intersection. Observers said congestion on and around the roundabout slowed traffic flow and caused backups onto the elevated roadway.
Several regular commuters said conditions seemed largely unchanged by 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,” one commuter said.
Drivers also complained that the roundabout’s design and traffic influx from multiple directions were creating confusion. “Vehicles from multiple directions are merging at the same point, which is slowing down the traffic movement,” a vehicle owner said.
Two police personnel were seen managing traffic at the junction in an attempt to regulate flow, but their efforts did not prevent congestion during peak evening hours. Some commuters noted that the road beneath the flyover appeared less crowded and, in some cases, easier to use than the elevated section. “It is actually easier to use the road below the flyover as there is comparatively less congestion there,” another commuter said.
Local residents and road users have asked authorities to review traffic management at the Chandmari roundabout so the flyover can deliver the intended relief. Officials have been urged to assess signalling, lane discipline and merging patterns to prevent the new structure from simply shifting, rather than solving, the area’s traffic problems.
Original Source: https://assamtribune.com/guwahati/guwahatis-longest-flyover-opens-but-chandmari-bottleneck-remains-1609464
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Publish Date: 2026-03-15 09:50:00
