Suspend Assam tolls till unsafe highways are repaired, Debabrata Saikia urges Centre

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) senior leader and former MLA Debabrata Saikia have urged Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari to immediately suspend toll collection across all toll roads in Assam until the stretches are repaired and certified as motorable.

In a letter to Gadkari, Saikia raised serious concerns over the alleged poor condition and safety of several toll roads in the state, citing the recent fatal accident at Sonapur on NH-27, in which six people reportedly lost their lives.

Saikia said the Sonapur accident should not be treated as an isolated incident, claiming that reports from other toll stretches in Assam have also pointed to pothole-ridden roads, inadequate maintenance and recurring accidents despite continued toll collection.

He argued that commuters should not be required to pay tolls on roads that are unsafe or poorly maintained. He also referred to the principle recognised by courts that toll collection may not be justified when roads are not properly maintained.

Saikia placed five key demands before the Union Minister. These include immediate suspension of toll collection on all toll roads in Assam, a statewide independent safety and maintenance audit of toll plazas and road stretches, and a detailed inquiry into maintenance failures, recurring accidents and alleged contractual lapses involving the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), concessionaires and Independent Engineers. He also sought compensation and immediate relief for the families of those killed or injured in the Sonapur accident and other accidents on toll roads in Assam.

Further, Saikia called for publication of a corrective action plan specifying timelines, responsibilities and compliance measures, with the details made publicly available. He said the situation warranted a statewide intervention rather than isolated or piecemeal measures, stressing that road safety and administrative accountability should take precedence over toll collection.

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