More than 1.92 lakh motor vehicle offence cases were registered across Assam, while fine amounting to Rs 18.48 crore was realized during the period. The data was presented during a State-level review meeting on road safety, enforcement and accident prevention measures chaired by Chief Secretary Dr Ravi Kota in the presence of DGP Harmeet Singh and virtual participation of all District Commissioners, Superintendents of Police and officials of concerned departments. The meeting was informed that Assam recorded a 15 per cent reduction in road accidents and nearly 30 per cent reduction in fatalities during the period from April 28 to May 21 as compared to the corresponding period last year.
The Chief Secretary directed all districts to treat reduction in road fatalities as a key governance priority by undertaking swift administrative action, intensifying enforcement in accident-prone corridors and preparing district-specific intervention plans based on accident data and local risk assessment. It was observed that National Highways account for the largest share of accidents in the State, and districts were directed to analyse accident-prone NH stretches, identify black spots and strengthen enforcement, engineering correction and emergency response systems. The meeting decided to take strict penal action against unauthorized roadside parking, illegal truck halting and encroachment along highways and major roads. Dr Kota emphasised effective implementation of the PM RAHAT initiative in line with the directions of Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma and instructed district authorities to strengthen trauma care response, public awareness and coordination for accident victims, while expanding first responder training programmers across all districts to reinforce the “golden hour” response mechanism.
The Transport Department apprised the meeting regarding three major initiatives — the “Zero Fatality District” initiative, the “Chota COP” road safety awareness programme and expansion of Automated Driver Testing Tracks for improving transparency in driving licence issuance. The Department was told to expedite formulation of a comprehensive regulatory framework for e-rickshaw operations in Assam. District administrations were instructed to verify whether toll plazas are complying with mandatory emergency and ambulance movement provisions. Special emphasis was also laid on monsoon preparedness, with Nagaon and Golghar directed to maintain heightened vigilance during the rainy season, while border districts were instructed to strengthen precautionary and enforcement measures.
Observing that any sudden spike in issuance of driving licences may indicate procedural lapses or irregularities, the Chief Secretary directed the districts to maintain strict vigilance and continuous monitoring of the licensing process. Serious concern was also expressed regarding discrepancies in the functioning of Automated Driving Testing Tracks, following which immediate corrective measures and strict verification were directed.
During the meeting, all districts were asked to ensure timely reporting of accident data through the eDAR platform and strengthen monthly District Road Safety Committee meetings with focused analysis on accident causes, enforcement gaps and engineering deficiencies.