Citizen movement ‘Reclaim Guwahati’ marks one year of restoring public spaces

A citizen-led initiative, Reclaim Guwahati, has completed one year of active work to revive and protect Guwahati’s public spaces, with Dighalipukhuri at the heart of its efforts. What began as a small community clean-up drive on November 10, 2024, has grown into a city-wide civic movement focused on cleaner, greener, and more inclusive urban spaces.

Over the past year, the group has carried out 51 clean-up drives, collecting nearly 1,500 kilograms of waste and installing eco-friendly bamboo bins across key public areas. More than 600 volunteers — including students, professionals, and local residents — have taken part in these activities.

The initiative has also introduced a series of creative public programmes. These include Gosor Golpo (Tree Tales), a tree documentation project involving local communities; Eco-Art Sunday and Treasure Hunt sessions for children; Book Reading at Dighalipukhuri Paar for all age groups; and Burhi Ai’r Xadhu, a storytelling walk connecting people with the city’s cultural heritage.

To sustain its impact, Reclaim Guwahati has partnered with educational institutions such as Ascent Academy, Shiksha Niketan, Handique Girls’ College and Cotton University. It has also collaborated with organisations including Blue Ladder Trust, Assam Tourism Development Corporation, Guwahati Municipal Corporation, and Pollution Control Board Assam to strengthen civic participation in environmental management.

As it steps into its second year, the group plans to expand its citizen science initiatives, document more trees under Gosor Golpo, and transform Dighalipukhuri into a model site for community-led urban restoration.

Reclaim Guwahati continues to highlight a simple message — that the city’s public spaces are a shared responsibility and a source of local pride.