Assam: NH-17 expansion work raises safety concerns after vehicle falls into open construction ditch near Boko

Safety concerns surrounding the ongoing expansion of National Highway 17 intensified on Sunday, May 31 after a vehicle plunged into an open ditch near Chokabaha during construction work, narrowly avoiding a major tragedy.

According to reports, a Renault Kiger carrying four occupants fell into a roadside excavation near a bridge where both sides had reportedly been left open as part of the highway widening project. The accident occurred while the vehicle was travelling from Gamairimura towards Guwahati on Sunday evening.

Despite the severity of the incident, all four passengers escaped without serious injuries, officials said.

Personnel from Boko Police reached the accident site shortly after receiving information about the mishap and initiated an investigation into the circumstances leading to the accident.

The incident has once again brought attention to safety conditions along the under-construction stretch of NH-17. Local residents have expressed concern over what they describe as inadequate safety measures at several construction sites, including exposed excavations, insufficient barricading and poor warning signage.

Residents alleged that accidents have become increasingly common along the highway expansion corridor, with multiple instances of vehicles reportedly meeting with mishaps in recent months. They have urged the authorities and the executing agency to strengthen safety protocols and ensure proper protective measures at active construction zones.

The latest accident has renewed demands for immediate intervention by the concerned authorities to prevent further incidents and safeguard commuters using the busy highway. Local residents have called for stricter monitoring of construction activities, installation of adequate barricades and warning systems, and regular safety audits of vulnerable stretches.

The NH-17 expansion project is a key infrastructure initiative aimed at improving regional connectivity, but commuters and residents have stressed that construction work must be carried out with adequate safeguards to minimise risks to public safety.