Mowsam Hazarika
(mowsam2000@yahoo.co.in)
Roads are meant to connect people, places and possibilities. In Assam, however, many roads are increasingly becoming sources of fear and danger. The rising number of road accidents in the state shows that both our driving and the roads we use are problematic.
According to official data, Assam recorded 12,572 road accidents and 2,760 fatalities in 2024, besides thousands of injuries. These figures are not merely statistics. Behind every number lies a family that has lost a breadwinner, a parent, a child or a loved one. While rash driving, speeding, drunken driving, careless overtaking and violation of traffic rules are undoubtedly responsible for many accidents, the deplorable condition of roads must also be recognised as a major contributor to the crisis.
Across Assam, potholes, broken surfaces, damaged shoulders, inadequate drainage, waterlogging and poorly marked diversions have become common sights. During the monsoon, the situation becomes particularly alarming. Rainwater fills potholes and makes them almost invisible to motorists. A vehicle travelling at speed can suddenly plunge into a deep pothole, lose balance or swerve into the path of another vehicle. For two-wheeler riders, such incidents can be fatal.
The problem is especially acute on busy highways and roads connecting towns and villages. Potholes and damaged surfaces frequently plague sections of major national and state highways. In some places, temporary repairs are carried out only to deteriorate again after the next spell of heavy rain. Such patchwork may provide a short-term solution, but it cannot substitute for durable and scientific road maintenance.
The figures concerning pothole-related accidents are particularly disturbing. Government data recorded 197 pothole-related accidents in Assam in 2024, resulting in 87 deaths and 179 injuries. If potholes alone can claim so many lives, they can no longer be dismissed as a minor inconvenience or an unavoidable consequence of the monsoon.
Assam’s geographical and climatic conditions certainly make road construction and maintenance difficult. The state experiences heavy rainfall, floods, erosion and waterlogging, all of which can damage roads and embankments. But these challenges cannot become excuses for poor maintenance. On the contrary, they make proper planning and regular maintenance even more essential.
A satisfactory road is not simply one that has been inaugurated with much publicity. It is one that remains safe and usable years after its construction. Unfortunately, the emphasis often appears to be on building and inaugurating roads rather than maintaining them. Once a project is completed, responsibility for its upkeep can become unclear, often leaving commuters to suffer as they inadvertently take on the burden of maintenance.
There is also a serious question of accountability. When a road develops dangerous potholes soon after construction or repair, who is responsible? When a damaged stretch remains unrepaired for months, who should answer? When warning signs, reflective markings and barricades are absent at dangerous locations, who should be held accountable if an accident occurs?
The authorities cannot wait for an accident to happen before repairing a dangerous stretch of road. Prevention must become the central principle of road safety. Roads should be inspected regularly, particularly before and during the monsoon. Dangerous potholes should be repaired promptly and properly. Drainage systems must be strengthened so that water does not remain stagnant on road surfaces. Damaged bridges, culverts and embankments require immediate attention.
Road safety also demands better engineering. Accident-prone stretches should undergo professional safety audits. Adequate lighting, road markings, warning signs, crash barriers and speed-control measures should be installed wherever necessary. Construction zones must be properly barricaded and clearly marked, especially at night.
At the same time, motorists cannot escape responsibility. Even the best road cannot prevent every accident if drivers ignore basic safety rules. Speed limits must be respected, helmets and seat belts must be used, and dangerous overtaking must be avoided. Driving under the influence of alcohol or while using a mobile phone should attract strict penalties. Enforcement agencies must ensure that traffic rules are not merely written in law but actually implemented on the ground.
The government should also make citizens active participants in road safety. A simple and responsive system through which people can report potholes, damaged roads, missing signs and other hazards could help authorities identify dangerous locations quickly. Modern technology can be used to map accident-prone areas and prioritise repairs according to risk rather than administrative convenience.
Most importantly, road safety must be treated as a matter of public policy rather than an occasional issue that attracts attention only after a major accident. Every life lost on a dangerous road is a reminder of a preventable failure. The objective should not merely be to reduce traffic congestion or improve travel time; it should be to ensure that people can return home safely.
Assam needs better roads, but it needs something more fundamental—a culture of maintenance, accountability and safety. Building new highways while allowing existing roads to deteriorate is not sustainable development. Collecting tolls while motorists struggle through dangerous potholes raises legitimate questions about public accountability. Announcing repair projects without ensuring their quality and timely completion only postpones the problem.
The government, road agencies, contractors, and citizens all share responsibilities in this matter. But the primary responsibility for providing safe public infrastructure rests with the authorities. Road users should not have to gamble with their lives every time they travel from one district to another.
The increasing number of road accidents should therefore be treated as a wake-up call. Assam cannot afford to accept death on its roads as an inevitable price of development. A pothole is not merely a hole in the road; when left unattended, it can become a hole in a family’s future. The time has come for the authorities to move from promises to permanent solutions. Assam deserves roads that connect lives—not roads that end them.