Assam recorded over 1,000 road fatalities in the first three months of 2026, with an average of 11 deaths every day, prompting the state administration to push for urgent, district-level interventions to curb the rising toll.
According to official data reviewed at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Ravi Kota, the state registered 4,219 road accidents and 1,008 deaths between January and March this year.
While the number of accidents has remained nearly unchanged compared to the same period last year, fatalities declined only marginally by 2.6 per cent, underscoring the continuing severity of crashes across the state.
Officials flagged a worrying concentration of fatalities in a handful of districts. Nine districts, including Guwahati City, Kamrup, Nagaon, Sonitpur and Dibrugarh, accounted for nearly half of all road deaths. However, some high-burden districts such as Sonitpur, Nagaon and Tinsukia reported a year-on-year decline, attributed to targeted enforcement and localised interventions.
Despite recording a better severity index of 0.24 compared to the national average, Assam continues to lag behind relatively safer states such as Kerala and Tamil Nadu, officials noted.
The review also highlighted that pedestrians remain particularly vulnerable, with one in five fatalities involving people on foot. Authorities described the trend as a major concern requiring focused safety measures.
Also read: Assam: Police detain 4 Chhattisgarh cops over bribery allegations
Issuing a series of directives, the Chief Secretary asked Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police to personally review every fatal accident and ensure corrective steps are taken. District Road Safety Committees have been directed to meet regularly and prepare localised action plans based on risk patterns.
Authorities have also prioritised the immediate rectification of accident-prone “black spots”, improved road signage, and safer road engineering, particularly in high-risk zones. Enforcement drives will be intensified against violations such as speeding, drink-driving, helmet non-use and illegal parking.
The state has also emphasised strengthening emergency response during the critical “golden hour”. Under the PM RAHAT scheme, accident victims are entitled to cashless treatment of up to ₹1.5 lakh for seven days.
Officials have been instructed to expand trauma care facilities and First Referral Units, identify gaps in healthcare infrastructure, and increase public awareness about empanelled hospitals. Statewide training of first responders is also being expedited.
Describing road safety as a “shared responsibility”, the Chief Secretary stressed the need for coordinated action among departments, including transport, police, health and public works, signalling a comprehensive push to reduce fatalities through enforcement, engineering and emergency care reforms.
Follow us
