NH-27 accident hotspot: Motorcyclist critical after fatal crash in Assam's Khetri

Another road accident on National Highway-27 near Khetri in Sonapur on the outskirts of Guwahati has raised fresh concerns over the safety of the accident-prone stretch, with a motorcyclist sustaining serious injuries after his two-wheeler was hit by a passenger car on Friday, September 4.

The accident occurred at Khaloibari village under the Dimoria constituency in Assam’s Kamrup Metropolitan district. According to reports, a passenger car bearing registration number AS 12 H 1074 collided with a motorcycle bearing registration number AS 01 D 0360.

The motorcycle rider, identified as Indramohan Goswami, sustained serious injuries in the collision. Personnel from Khetri traffic police reached the spot after receiving information about the accident and shifted the injured rider to a medical facility in critical condition.

The latest accident comes days after a major crash on the same stretch of NH-27 on August 30, in which at least seven people were killed, including four who died on the spot. The earlier accident was reportedly linked to a large pothole on the highway. The driver of a commercial passenger vehicle allegedly lost control after encountering the pothole, crossed the road divider and collided with an oncoming truck.

The August 30 accident triggered protests by local residents, who blocked the highway and demanded action over what they alleged was negligence in the maintenance of the road by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

Following the incident, an emergency meeting was held on August 31 between local representatives from Khetri and government authorities. The meeting focused on fixing responsibility on the NHAI and ensuring repairs to the affected stretch within seven days.

The families of those killed in the August 30 accident were provided ex-gratia assistance, while police detained two NHAI officials in connection with the immediate aftermath of the incident.

Despite the assurance that the damaged stretch would be repaired within the stipulated timeframe, further accidents have reportedly occurred in the area over the past week. Local residents have claimed that the poor condition of the highway has resulted in three to four accidents a day, underscoring concerns over road safety and the pace of remedial work.

The repeated accidents have renewed demands from residents for urgent repairs and sustained monitoring of the NH-27 stretch near Khetri.