Traffic chaos on Jorabat-Khanapara NH-27 stretch sparks commuter outrage

Jorabat, April 10: A worsening traffic nightmare on the Jorabat-Khanapara stretch of National Highway-27 has left commuters high and dry for the last few days.

For nearly a week now, the stretch of the highway, which connects Guwahati with Meghalaya and Upper Assam, has been witnessing severe congestion, reducing even emergency movement to a crawl.

The traffic bottleneck is attributed to the ongoing pavement quality concrete (PQC) panel installation work being carried out by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). While such work is typically accompanied by the construction of a temporary service lane to divert traffic, which has not been possible here due to land acquisition hurdles on the Meghalaya side of the highway.

Being a border area, the NHAI has been finding it hard to construct the service lane on the Meghalaya part due to varied reasons, including land acquisition problems.

"PQC construction takes about 30 days per lane, and we initially allotted 60 days to complete both lanes. But the delay in diversion infrastructure is now severely affecting commuters," said Mohit Kumar, Deputy Manager of NHAI, Guwahati. He further stated that they are looking for a different approach to mitigate the ordeal faced by the commuters.

The NHAI undertook the PQC panel work ahead of the monsoon season, citing recurring waterlogging and rapid road damage on this specific stretch. However, the efforts to prevent future deterioration have crippled traffic movement.

What is usually a 15-minute drive from Jorabat to Khanapara has now become a two to three-hour ordeal. Long queues of vehicles can be seen throughout the day. Air-port-bound passengers have missed flights, and some schools located near the corridor have announced unscheduled holidays after students and teachers were stuck in traffic for hours.

According to an advisory issued by Guwahati Traffic Police on Wednesday, all goods-carrying vehicles coming to Guwahati from Upper Assam will be diverted at Kaliabor Tiniali via Sonitpur, Darrang and Baihata Chariali. Goods vehicles coming from Nagaon, Morigaon, and Meghalaya will be allowed to enter Guwahati only between 10 pm and 6 am.

Light motor vehicles (LMVs) are advised to take alternative routes such as Digaru Tiniali-Amsing-Army Camp-Patharquarry and Chandrapur-Panikhaiti-Narengi routes.

Despite the advisory, many commuters have complained of poor ground-level enforcement, with little traffic regulation at critical intersections and choke points. "We were stuck for over two and a half hours near Jorabat with no police assistance. It's not just frustrating, but also dangerous," said Bulbul Chetia, a regular commuter.

The authorities said that the work is being fast-tracked before the onset of the rains, but with tampers flaring and traffic flow in disarray, citizens are demanding more efficient coordination, better signages, and immediate deployment of additional traffic police personnel.