Ahead of New Year, Guwahati ramps up road checks with high-tech gadgets

Guwahati, Dec 17: With New Year celebrations around the corner, the Assam Transport Department has stepped up enforcement to curb road accidents caused by drunk driving and over-speeding, particularly in urban hotspots.

In Guwahati, enforcement teams under the Kamrup District Transport Department have been equipped with new, high-tech road safety tools along GS Road.

Transport Minister Charan Boro, on Tuesday, distributed road safety kits to enforcement inspectors, each comprising a body camera, a speed gun and a dash camera.

“These three gadgets - a body camera, a speed gun to detect vehicle speed, and a dash camera - are being provided to enforcement inspectors. Such tools were not previously available in the state,” Boro said, adding that the devices would help accurately identify traffic violations and impose penalties accordingly.

Demonstrating the government’s push for stricter enforcement, the Minister personally joined checking operations on the evening of December 16 at ABC Point in Guwahati, monitoring measures to prevent intoxicated driving alongside enforcement officials.

Breath analysers were used during the drive to detect drunk drivers.

“The number of accidents in Assam has come down compared to earlier. Public cooperation has played a big role in this. The transport department is fully prepared for the New Year, and from now on we will take strict action against drunk driving and overspeeding. Special measures have been put in place to prevent accidents caused by alcohol consumption and speeding,” Minister Boro said.

The intensified checks come against the backdrop of worrying accident figures in the state. Between December 24, 2024, and January 15, 2025, Assam recorded 163 deaths due to road accidents, which is however, 32 less than the previous year.

The state currently ranks second among the northeastern states in road traffic fatality rates per lakh population, behind Arunachal Pradesh, official data revealed.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier flagged the alarming rise in road accidents and fatalities across Assam.

Addressing a press conference in Dibrugarh on December 24, Sarma attributed the surge to multiple factors, including increased instances of drunken driving, ongoing national highway construction and poor road conditions in certain areas.

He pointed out sharp district-level variations, with Kamrup (Metro) recording a 31.82% increase in road fatalities, while Nagaon district saw a significant 73% reduction.

In Guwahati, the situation remains particularly serious along the busy Jalukbari–Khanapara stretch, which has witnessed a 21% rise in fatalities, he had told the press.

The Chief Minister also highlighted a troubling pattern emerging in rural areas, where improved road conditions have inadvertently led to higher vehicle speeds and a rise in self-inflicted accidents.

With the festive season expected to see a spike in traffic movement, authorities said enforcement drives would continue across the state to rein in violations and prevent avoidable loss of lives.