Digboi: A stretch of the Digboi–Margherita road near C Company of the 68th Battalion, CRPF, in Tinsukia district has emerged as a road-safety concern, with high speed breakers, a sharp U-turn and a narrowed carriageway posing difficulties for heavy vehicles.
The concern came into focus on Saturday night when a loaded heavy vehicle reportedly lost balance while negotiating the second speed breaker and overturned near the main entrance of the CRPF establishment. The incident disrupted vehicular movement and caused severe congestion along the busy road.
The latest incident was not an isolated one. Several heavy vehicles have previously suffered jolts, lost balance or became immobile after negotiating the raised structures at the location. Motorists and residents have questioned whether the height, gradient and configuration of the speed breakers are appropriate for a road carrying substantial heavy-vehicle traffic.
The risk is compounded by a sharp U-turn located close to the speed breakers. With the carriageway already narrowed, loaded commercial vehicles have limited space to manoeuvre around the raised structures and the turn. Any vehicle that loses balance or breaks down can quickly block the road and disrupt traffic.
The stretch is expected to face additional pressure during Durga Puja and immersion processions, when pedestrian and vehicular movement increases sharply. Police personnel already face difficulties regulating traffic and crowds at the trijunction during peak festive activity.
Several Durga Puja committees have sought either a smooth passage through the area or reconstruction of the existing speed breakers according to proper road-engineering specifications. They have urged authorities to address the issue before the festival rush, citing concerns that an overturned or stranded heavy vehicle during an immersion procession could severely disrupt traffic and complicate crowd management.
The trijunction is also close to the Ramlila route and a government bank, adding to pedestrian and vehicular pressure in the area.
The location’s proximity to C Company of the 68th Battalion of CRPF, and petroleum-related infrastructure of the AOD Digboi Refinery has also raised security concerns.
The stretch has a history of militant violence. On March 7, 2003, suspected ULFA militants attacked the Digboi Refinery’s petroleum-storage installation, hitting a petrol storage tank. A massive fire subsequently raged for several days.
According to local accounts, the firing position used during the 2003 attack was on the stretch corresponding to the present speed-breaker and trijunction area. The attack caused extensive damage and highlighted the vulnerability of the refinery’s petroleum-storage infrastructure.
Against this backdrop, residents have raised concerns over repeated traffic disruptions at a location close to sensitive installations, particularly ahead of the festival season.
Motorists have also complained that the speed breakers are difficult to identify sufficiently early, especially at night. They have sought prominent advance warning signs, reflective markings, adequate lighting and properly engineered gradients to reduce the risk of sudden braking and loss of vehicle control.
Residents and Puja organisers have called for an urgent joint inspection by the district administration, police, concerned highway authorities, CRPF and petroleum authorities. They want the speed breakers, sharp U-turn and trijunction to be technically assessed before Durga Puja and immersion processions.
They have also sought either removal of unnecessary obstructions or reconstruction of the speed breakers in accordance with prescribed engineering standards, while ensuring adequate passage for emergency vehicles, festival processions and regular highway traffic.