Assam: Unregulated street vendors on NH-127B turn Dhubri's Modergola into accident hotspot

The increasing presence of street vendors along National Highway 127B in the Modergola area of Dhubri has led to rising concerns over road safety. The bustling stretch on Guru Teg Bahadur Road has become a potential crash hotspot as vendors, who set up shop dangerously close to the road, pose significant hazards to both drivers and pedestrians.

On September 8, a serious accident occurred when a speeding motorbike, with registration number AS-17J-5784, crashed into a stopped vehicle in the Modergola area. The rider fled the scene, leaving behind a severely injured Thaneswar Basumatary, a resident of Bijni. Basumatary had pulled over to buy fish from one of the vendors along the highway. His vehicle, bearing registration number AS-26E-7010, sustained significant damage to the rear right door, while Basumatary himself suffered serious injuries.

This incident highlights the dangers posed by street vendors encroaching on highway shoulders. Vehicles often stop abruptly to purchase goods, narrowing the space available for other moving vehicles. These sudden stops, combined with high-speed traffic, create ideal conditions for rear-end collisions, as drivers may not anticipate pedestrians and parked cars on the highway.

The situation is further exacerbated by the distractions these vendors create. Drivers may take their attention off the road to engage with the stalls, increasing the chances of accidents. The unchecked growth of these vendors is leading to traffic congestion, erratic stops, and dangerous pedestrian activity, turning this stretch of NH-127B into a potential danger zone.

If authorities fail to regulate or relocate the vendors, the Modergola area could become a more frequent site for crashes, putting the lives of both motorists and pedestrians at greater risk.