Assam: Gauripur rail flyover ready, but unopened as commuters remain stranded

A completed flyover meant to ease chronic congestion at the railway crossing between Dhubri and Gauripur remains closed to traffic, leaving daily commuters to endure hours-long delays at the gates.

The roughly one-kilometre, two-lane Gauripur Rail Flyover was built to bypass the busy level crossing that routinely chokes movement between the two towns. Civil works have been finished and the contractor has handed over the project to the Railway Department. Yet the structure is still not operational.

“The work is done. The asphalt is laid. The contractor is gone. So why are we still stuck at the railway gates for hours?” said a daily commuter, voicing a question now widely echoed across the area.

Local sources say the delay is not technical but administrative. While the bridge stands ready, final clearances and coordination between the District Administration and the Railway Department have not been completed. No official date has been announced for opening the flyover.

The impact is being felt most sharply during emergencies. Ambulances are frequently held up at the railway crossing, losing crucial time, while thousands of commuters travelling between the twin towns face daily disruptions that affect work and essential services.

Residents describe the situation as deeply frustrating, pointing out that the very infrastructure built to solve the problem has become another symbol of delay. Appeals by local organisations have so far failed to produce clarity on when the flyover will be opened.

Until the remaining formalities are resolved, the people of Dhubri district continue to wait—watching a multi-crore public project stand unused as traffic grinds to a halt below.