Absence of safety signs blamed for highway fatality
Our Bureau
DAINADUBI/TURA, Jan 25: The accidental death of a youth on the upcoming Dainadubi-Darugre NH-127 has put contractors in a major quandary, with the lack of signage on the route being blamed for the fatal mishap.
A police inquiry following the incident identified the deceased as Nejubirth D. Sangma, a resident of Pangsudam village under Mendiphatar Police Station in North Garo Hills district, Meghalaya.
It was further revealed during the enquiry that on January 24 at around 6.20 pm, the deceased, while riding a two-wheeler on the highway, digressed from the main road and accidentally fell into an under-construction culvert hole beside the road where work was ongoing.
It was also revealed that the rider was not wearing a safety helmet at the time of the incident. As a result of the fall, he sustained serious head injuries, to which he later succumbed.
Police sources ruled out any foul play in Sangma’s death, asserting that it was an accident influenced by poor visibility at night, road conditions at the construction site and non-use of safety gear.
While the lack of safety gear on the part of the biker remains a major point of concern, local residents blamed the absence of signage on the under-construction road as one of the main reasons for the mishap that led to the death.
“In the entire route, there are literally no signages put up by the construction company, which was one of the major factors in this accident. This is gross negligence on their part, and they need to be held accountable, especially due to the fact that the route is now dusty and difficult to navigate because of poor visibility and dust everywhere. We want the construction company to take liability,” said local resident Chengchang Marak.
Chengchang stated that this was the second incident at the same spot on the same evening, after another vehicle fell there, though the occupants escaped with minor injuries. The second incident took place at around 8 pm.
Tura MDC Bernard Marak also questioned the safety measures on the under-construction road, asking what measures were actually in place to prevent such incidents.
“A young lad lost his life after losing control near an unprotected gorge at Dainadubi. This incident highlights concerns about road safety, especially on highways under construction or with inadequate safety measures. What measures are being taken to prevent such accidents on NH 217?” asked Marak.
Meanwhile, a tour of the same road showed construction work at various stages. However, despite the dangers, very few locations had signs to warn commuters of ongoing construction or to provide information on road diversions.
Meanwhile, the Niksamso Garo Community Organization (NGCO), Dainadubi Regional Unit, has blamed a road construction company for the accident in which one person lost his life.
“It has been observed that no signboards are installed at any culvert construction sites under this company, which is a serious violation of road safety norms and puts public lives at constant risk—especially during night hours,” it said. Strongly condemning the alleged negligence of the road construction contractors and the company responsible for the fatal incident, the organisation demanded that the concerned authorities immediately take strict action against the road construction contractors and workers operating in the North Garo Hills area.
“We warn the concerned responsible departments that failure to ensure proper safety measures—such as signboards, barricades, reflectors and warning lights—will lead to further accidents and public anger. Human lives cannot be ignored in the name of development,” it added.
