Majuli in Assam gets ₹1,375-cr infra upgrades

The Finance Commission has recommended a new embankment-cum-road around Majuli in Assam where the island will have a project for comprehensive development of the Kamakhya temple in Guwahati involving a combined investment of ₹1,375 crore. The commission has recommended ₹1,075 crore for the construction of the new embankment-cum-road around the world's largest inhabited riverine island and ₹300 crore for the comprehensive development of the Kamakhya temple complex. The 15th Finance Commission, headed by N K Singh, submitted its report stating that Majuli is also the seat of Assam's Vaishnavite monasteries (sattras). It is a part of the vast dynamic river system of Brahmaputra basin with a total length of 2,706 km and a catchment area of 580,000 sq km. According to the 2011 census, the total population of Majuli is 1.67 lakh living in 248 villages. The island extends for a length of about 80 km, 10-15 km in breadth with a total area of about 875 sq km and at an elevation of 85-90 metres above the sea level. Because of its peculiar location, Majuli gets inundated not only in severe floods but also in normal floods and erosion on the southern side of the island has been going on for over five decades, constantly reducing the area of the land, eroding many villages and 'sattras'. The embankment-cum-road, once constructed, is expected to solve the problem of erosion of Majuli and provide comfort for road travel around the island.