Tragedy at Beltola Bazar: Wall collapse kills vendor, exposes Guwahati’s infrastructure crisis

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMay 15, 2025

Chaos erupted at Beltola Bazar on Thursday when a guard wall adjacent to a drainage system suddenly collapsed, killing a woman and critically injuring two others. The incident has sparked widespread anger over Guwahati’s crumbling infrastructure and lack of preventive oversight.

The deceased has been identified as Anju Rongpi (50), a vegetable vendor from Khetri Borbitoli. She was rescued from the debris and rushed to Agile Hospital, then referred to Gauhati Medical College Hospital (GMCH), where doctors declared her brought dead.

Two other vendors, Muktar Deori (60) of Baksa and Laifan Boro (46) of Barbori, are in critical condition and receiving treatment at GMCH. A fourth person, Bhogila Rajbongshi (60) from Sonapur, is also hospitalized.

Eyewitnesses said the collapse came without warning as vendors were setting up for the afternoon rush. “One moment we were arranging our goods, and the next we were pulling people out from under bricks and dust,” said a vendor who narrowly escaped.

Preliminary reports suggest the collapse may be linked to structural damage along the Bahini River embankment, a long-standing concern in the area. While authorities have sealed off the site and launched an investigation, residents and traders are demanding more than routine responses.

“This isn’t a one-off. It’s the result of years of negligence,” said a local trader. “If the government doesn’t act now, more lives will be lost.”

Beltola Bazar, one of the city’s busiest commercial hubs, sees thousands of daily visitors. Thursday’s disaster has once again exposed Guwahati’s chronic infrastructure failures and reignited demands for urgent safety audits, repairs, and accountability.