Reported by: Roopak Goswami
Guwahati: Assam recorded 4,219 road accidents and 1,008 fatalities between January and March 2026, prompting the state's top bureaucracy to push for urgent district-level interventions to curb road deaths.
At a high-level review chaired by Chief Secretary Dr Ravi Kota, officials noted that while accident numbers have remained nearly unchanged from last year, fatalities declined only marginally by 2.6%, underlining the persistent severity of crashes across the state.
The data reveals a worrying concentration of deaths, with nine districts - including Guwahati City, Kamrup, Nagaon, Sonitpur, and Dibrugarh - accounting for nearly half of all fatalities. However, some high-burden districts such as Sonitpur, Nagaon, and Tinsukia reported a year-on-year decline, attributed to targeted enforcement and local interventions.
Despite a better severity index (0.24) than the national average, Assam continues to fare worse than relatively safer states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu, officials said.
11 deaths a day, pedestrians at risk
The review highlighted that around 11 people are dying on Assam's roads every day, with one in five victims being pedestrians - a trend flagged as a major concern.
Key directives issued
The Chief Secretary issued a series of time-bound directives aimed at reducing fatalities. Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police must personally review every fatal accident and ensure corrective measures. New rules and best practices to protect vulnerable road users will be fast-tracked. Immediate rectification of accident-prone "black spots," better signage, and safer road design, especially in high-risk zones, have been prioritised. Enforcement will focus on helmet use, drink-driving checks, speeding, and illegal parking. District Road Safety Committees (DRSCs) will meet regularly and prepare localised action plans based on risk patterns.
Focus on 'Golden Hour' care
The state also placed emphasis on emergency response under the PM RAHAT scheme, which provides cashless treatment of up to Rs 1.5 lakh for road accident victims for seven days.
Authorities have been directed to expand trauma centres and First Referral Units in high-need areas, map healthcare infrastructure gaps, increase public awareness about empanelled hospitals, and complete first responder training statewide.
Whole-of-government approach
Calling road safety a "shared responsibility," the Chief Secretary stressed coordinated action across departments, including transport, police, health, and public works.
The meeting saw participation from senior officials across departments, district administrations, police leadership, and national highway agencies, signalling a statewide push to reduce fatalities through enforcement, engineering, and emergency care reforms.