A CORRESPONDENT
BOKO: Illegal coal transportation from neighbouring Meghalaya continues unchecked, with overloaded trucks entering Assam through the Boko–Hahim route in Kamrup district. Despite repeated concerns, the Assam Transport Department has remained indifferent, allowing the menace to grow.
Residents allege that these trucks, carrying far beyond permissible limits, are destroying the newly-constructed Boko–Hahim road. Built only a few years ago with North Eastern Council funds, the road is now deteriorating rapidly under the weight of trucks hauling between 36 and 45 tonnes of coal—more than double their legal capacity of 16 tonnes. Frequent breakdowns and toppled trucks block traffic, creating chaos and danger for commuters. Students and villagers describe the route as a ‘death trap,’ with accidents becoming routine.
Villagers from Hahim, Lalmati, and Haldhipara complain that overloaded trucks often snap electricity lines, plunging entire villages into darkness. Sparks from trucks brushing against live wires have raised fears of fire and fatal accidents. Motorcyclists, cyclists, and e-rickshaw drivers face daily risks as trucks stop abruptly in the middle of roads, causing frequent mishaps. Truck drivers reveal that they pay between Rs 1.05 lakh and Rs 1.15 lakh in Meghalaya’s West Khasi Hills—at Shallang, Riangdo and Nongstoin—to secure passage into Assam. Once this ‘Assam–Meghalaya passing’ fee is paid, no challan or official documents are required. Locals allege that authorities in both states are complicit, prioritizing profit over public safety.
Residents accuse both Assam and Meghalaya governments, along with police and administration, of running a coal syndicate while ignoring essential development in border areas such as road construction, schools, healthcare, and resolution of boundary disputes. With government apathy deepening the crisis, conscious citizens and local organizations have appealed to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the Supreme Court to intervene. They demand strict enforcement against illegal coal transportation and protection of public safety.
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