Rising Road Fatalities in Assam: A Call for Safety Awareness

Alarming Road Accident Statistics in Assam

Silchar, Jan 15: The issue of road accidents in Assam is escalating, with the Cachar district reporting approximately 10 deaths each month. Silchar MP Parimal Suklabaidya described this trend as a tragic yet preventable situation.

Suklabaidya emphasized the severity of the problem, noting that Assam experiences nearly 3,000 to 4,000 fatalities annually due to road incidents.

In response to directives from the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, the MP is spearheading efforts to promote road safety awareness during the ongoing National Road Safety Month 2026.

Demonstrating his commitment, Suklabaidya was seen riding a motorcycle with his son, Utpal Suklabaidya, both wearing helmets, as he encouraged the public to adhere to traffic regulations and practice safe driving.

During a press interaction, he revealed that India faces around 4.6 lakh road accidents each year, resulting in approximately 1.72 lakh fatalities.

He stated, “In Cachar, at least 10 individuals lose their lives monthly in road accidents. These tragedies are preventable through adherence to basic safety measures,” highlighting that nearly 80% of these incidents involve two-wheelers, with 75% of victims aged between 18 and 45.

As part of this initiative, a thorough road safety awareness campaign will be launched across 162 Gaon Panchayats in Cachar, along with four town committees.

The campaign, titled ‘Pather Barta, Pather Jatra’, aims to engage both rural and urban populations with the objective of achieving zero road fatalities. The MP was joined by BJP Cachar district president Rupam Saha and party members during this initiative.

Reflecting on his previous role as Assam’s Transport Minister, Suklabaidya recalled the Path Suraksha Jana Jagaran campaign, which involved traveling nearly 5,000 km across 126 constituencies and reportedly saved around 400 lives.

“With greater public involvement this time, we aspire to minimize fatalities or even eliminate them,” he stated.

The MP also pointed out government initiatives designed to assist accident victims and promote public involvement.

Under the Good Samaritan policy, individuals who transport accident victims to the nearest medical facility will receive Rs 25,000, while road accident victims are entitled to free treatment up to Rs 1.5 lakh.

According to official statistics, Assam recorded 7,427 road accidents in 2023, resulting in 3,296 deaths, including 133 in Cachar alone.

He urged the community to view road safety as a collective responsibility and to strictly follow traffic regulations to avert the loss of lives.