Guwahati's Transport Data Stagnation Raises Concerns Over Road Safety and Governance

The transport department in Guwahati has not updated its vehicle registration statistics since 2015, leading to significant concerns about governance and road safety. Experts warn that outdated data hampers effective decision-making, especially as Assam faces increasing urbanization and traffic congestion. With the current vehicle count estimated at around 5 million, the lack of reliable data poses challenges for policymakers and citizens alike. Activists emphasize the need for accountability, questioning how the government can manage transport safety without accurate statistics. A senior official has promised that the issue will be addressed soon, but the urgency of the situation remains critical.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jul 3, 2026, 09:33 IST

Outdated Vehicle Statistics in Assam

Guwahati, July 3: In a time when data is crucial for effective policymaking, the transport department of the state appears to be lagging significantly, as its official website has not refreshed the data on registered motor vehicles since 2015.

This stagnation has persisted for over ten years, creating a misleading representation of Assam's transportation landscape and raising critical issues regarding governance, tax accountability, and transparency.

According to an official source, “The lack of updated statistics is not merely a clerical error. It signifies a broader systemic issue that hampers road safety initiatives, environmental strategies, and infrastructure advancements.”

“Assam has experienced significant urban growth, an increase in vehicle ownership, and escalating traffic issues over the last decade. However, the digital records maintained by the Transport Commissionerate remain outdated, depriving policymakers, researchers, and the public of essential data needed to tackle these pressing challenges,” the source added.

Transport specialists caution that the lack of current data severely hinders effective planning. A transport analyst in Guwahati remarked, “How can we strategize for the future when the government is still operating with 2015 data? Accurate information is fundamental for policy-making; without it, decisions are merely speculative.”

As per the 2015 data available on the website, the total number of vehicles registered was 2,015,773, including 1,306,076 two-wheelers and 376,668 four-wheelers.

A senior official indicated that the current vehicle count in the state is approximately 5 million, with Guwahati alone accounting for over 1.1 million vehicles.

“The repercussions of this data stagnation are evident on the roads of Assam. Traffic jams in Guwahati have become commonplace, road accidents are on the rise, and air quality is deteriorating. Without updated vehicle statistics, it is impossible to gauge the extent of these issues or implement effective solutions,” noted a senior citizen from Guwahati.

“This issue transcends mere numbers,” stated a campaigner. “It’s about accountability. If the government cannot provide us with the number of vehicles on the road, how can we trust them to handle transport safety or pollution management?” a climate activist, who preferred to remain anonymous, expressed.

When approached for comments, a senior official from the department assured that the issue would be addressed promptly. He acknowledged that while applications like Vahan and Sarathi offer relevant vehicle and owner information, the Transport Commissionerate should have ensured the statistics were updated.