Guwahati: Assam witnessed a 79% rise in road accident cases this Durga Puja compared to last year’s as the state government eased restrictions to a great extent for the festivities this year.
According to the state’s ‘108 Mrityunjoy emergency response services’, a total of 541 road accident cases of which 387 were involving two-wheelers, were attended by the emergency response service during the celebration of the festival from Monday to Friday.
There was 36% decrease in road accident cases last year compared to 2019 due to strict restrictions imposed in view of the Covid-19 situation. The state has recorded 301 road accident cases last year, while a total of 472 cases were reported in 2019.
Dhurjyoti Prasad Bhattacharya, spokesperson of the emergency response services, said, “Maximum cases were reported from Kamrup district followed by Golaghat, Sonitpur and Tinsukia. Over 71% of the total road accidents were by two wheelers. However, Guwahati recorded just eight road accidents during the Puja celebrations, which was just four last year.”
A total of 49 road accident cases were reported from Kamrup district this year, 48 in Golaghat and 32 in Sonitpur and Tinsukia districts. Bhattacharya said the highest number of cases was attended by the emergency response services on the day of Mahanavami of the Durga puja.
A total of 137 cases were recorded on Thursday (Mahanavami), 120 on Wednesday (Maha Astami), 110 on Friday (Vijoya Dashami), 94 on Tuesday (Maha Saptami) and 80 on Monday (Maha Sasthi).
“The number of road accident cases remained little bit low last year because of the government’s strict restrictions. But this time, the government eased the restrictions and people also came out,” Bhattacharya added.
He said allowing pillion riding and reducing the night curfew time are two main reasons for which there has been an increase in road accidents this year. The state is currently under a seven-hour curfew from 10 pm to 5 am next day.
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