Digboi: Amid a sharp and alarming rise in road accidents involving heavy vehicles, Assam’s Tinsukia District Administration has issued a stringent prohibitory order regulating the movement of dumpers, trucks, and other goods-carrying vehicles transporting construction materials across the district.
The order, issued by Sumit Sattawan, IAS, District Magistrate, Tinsukia, under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, has been promulgated in the interest of public safety, public order, and the protection of human life.
The administration has noted that a significant number of serious and fatal road accidents in recent times have involved vehicles carrying sand, stone chips, soil, coal, bricks, and similar materials.
Investigations and field observations indicate that these incidents are largely attributable to rampant overloading and transportation of materials without proper covering, resulting in spillage on road surfaces, reduced visibility, vehicle imbalance, and heightened risk to pedestrians and other motorists.
Such violations, officials say, have turned several arterial roads into accident-prone zones.
Under the order, all dumpers, trucks, and goods-carrying vehicles transporting construction materials have been directed to mandatorily cover their loads with tarpaulin or other suitable materials to prevent spillage during transit.
Overloading has been strictly prohibited, and no vehicle is permitted to carry loads beyond the limits prescribed under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and the rules framed thereunder. The order makes the owner, driver, or person in charge of the vehicle liable for penal action in the event of any violation.
The Senior Superintendent of Police, Tinsukia and Sadiya, along with Co-District Commissioners, Circle Officers, Officers-in-Charge of police stations, and officials of the Transport Department, have been instructed to strictly enforce the directives, conduct regular inspections, and initiate legal proceedings against violators.
The administration has underscored that enforcement will be sustained and uncompromising, given the gravity of the situation.
Notably, Sumit Sattawan had earlier demonstrated strong administrative intent to address similar issues during his tenure as Sub-Divisional Officer (Civil), Margherita.
At that time, he had raised serious concerns over reckless driving, chronic road congestion, and the rising incidence of accidents, particularly along the Margherita–Jagun stretch.
The stretch had long been notorious for hazardous roadside parking and overloading of coal consignments, posing persistent threats to commuters and local residents alike.
However, despite early interventions, comprehensive corrective measures could not be fully implemented, as his tenure in Margherita proved too brief to dismantle the deeply entrenched causes affecting public safety.
Meanwhile, investigative findings and local reports suggest that hundreds of overloaded vehicles carrying coal consignments continue to move through Tinsukia district during late-night hours.
These movements are reportedly linked to locations such as Paharpur, Lalpahar, and adjoining areas falling under the jurisdictions of Ledu, Lekhapani, and Margherita police stations.
The scale and regularity of these operations have raised serious questions regarding the persistence of illegal coal transportation networks and the effectiveness of existing monitoring mechanisms.
Beyond road safety concerns, the environmental implications of such activities have emerged as a major point of alarm. Several reserve forest areas under the Digboi Forest Division are reportedly bearing the brunt of unchecked coal extraction and transportation.
Environmentalists and local communities allege that these activities have resulted in widespread damage to forest cover, disruption of wildlife habitats, and irreversible harm to the fragile flora and fauna of the region, thereby compounding the crisis beyond traffic violations alone.
In this backdrop, the recent district-wide order is being seen as more than a routine administrative measure. Observers and stakeholders expect the District Administration to leverage the order as a starting point for a broader crackdown on illegal coal trade, ensuring strict regulation of transportation, accountability across enforcement agencies, and decisive action against violations.
It is hoped that sustained enforcement will not only improve road safety but also help curb environmental degradation and restore public confidence in governance.
The order has come into force with immediate effect and will remain operative until further notice.
Considering the urgency of the matter and the continuing risks to life and the environment, it has been issued ex parte in the larger public interest.