Assam: Parked refinery vehicle on NH-38 near Digboi causes accident, eight injured

Digboi: A major road accident on National Highway 38 near Bogapani in Tinsukia has brought attention to gaps in highway safety and transport regulation in Upper Assam. At around 2:45 a.m. on Thursday, a hired Maruti van (AS06 R 8706) carrying eight family members collided with a large transport carrier parked on the highway. The carrier was transporting a cylindrical tank for the Digboi Refinery. The family, residents of Bogapani Colony, were returning home after visiting Durga Puja pandals on Navami night. All eight passengers were injured; three seriously, and one woman is in critical condition at Assam Medical College and Hospital (AMCH) in Dibrugarh. A survivor at AMCH said, "We were driving home when our van hit the large vehicle. Everyone inside was injured." The transport carrier had been parked near Oil Valley School on NH-38 for about five days. The driver, Santosh Chowdhury, said refinery officials told him to wait until after Durga Puja due to traffic and festival-related structures. "I parked the carrier with warning lights and waited for authorities to clear it," he said. However, local checks found no such pandals nearby, raising questions about why the vehicle was parked on a busy highway for so long. Although a warning light was placed, no barricades or other safety measures were installed to alert drivers. Experts say these basic precautions are insufficient, especially at night. Highway obstructions during festivals like Durga Puja are a recurring issue. Many say this points to shortcomings in the transport department's monitoring and enforcement. Residents also noted another parked vehicle -- an Ultra bus named Neog (AS23 CC 8567) -- near the Bogapani Forest Arboretum, about two kilometers from the accident site. Locals are concerned that similar situations could lead to accidents, particularly at night.