Overloaded coal trucks turn Boko–Hahim road into death trap; locals urge NGT intervention

Coal transportation from Meghalaya continues unabated, with overloaded trucks entering Assam via the Boko–Hahim route in Kamrup district. 

Despite repeated complaints from residents, the Assam Transport Department has remained largely indifferent, allowing the menace to escalate and endanger lives.

Locals allege that trucks carrying between 36 and 45 tonnes—more than double the legal limit of 16 tonnes—are destroying the newly constructed Boko–Hahim road, built only a few years ago with North Eastern Council funds. 

Frequent breakdowns and overturned trucks block traffic, creating chaos and posing serious risks for commuters. Students, villagers, and daily travelers describe the stretch as a “death trap,” warning that accidents have become routine.

Villagers from Hahim, Lalmati, and Haldhipara report that overloaded trucks often snap electricity lines, plunging entire villages into darkness. Sparks from trucks brushing against live wires have raised fears of fire and fatal accidents. Motorcyclists, cyclists, and e-rickshaw drivers face daily hazards as trucks stop abruptly or veer dangerously on the narrow road.

Truck operators reportedly pay between Rs 1.05 lakh and Rs 1.15 lakh at locations in Meghalaya’s West Khasi Hills—Chalang, Riangdo, and Nongstoin—to secure passage into Assam. Once this fee is paid, no official documents or challans are required, leaving the process entirely unregulated. Residents allege complicity by authorities in both states, accusing them of prioritizing profit over public safety.

Beyond the immediate dangers, locals criticize both Assam and Meghalaya governments for ignoring essential development in border areas. They cite neglected infrastructure, schools, healthcare services, and unresolved boundary disputes, which further exacerbate the hardships faced by communities along the route.

With government apathy deepening the crisis, conscious citizens, local organizations, and affected residents have appealed to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the Supreme Court, urging strict enforcement against illegal coal transportation and measures to safeguard public safety.

Authorities have yet to respond to these concerns, leaving communities to cope with the growing threat posed by reckless coal trucks on the vulnerable Boko–Hahim road.