The expansion of NH-27 to accommodate the increasing urban traffic has been rapid but haphazard
National Highway-27, once a strategic transit corridor across Assam, is now gradually transforming into a hazardous stretch, marred by frequent accidents, chaotic traffic conditions and insufficient enforcement of road safety norms. The section between Khanapara and Jalukbari in Guwahati has become particularly notorious for being a death trap for commuters, with local residents and road safety experts raising serious concerns over the current state of affairs.
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What was once a rural highway has now evolved into a heavily congested urban road, but the transition has not been accompanied by a proportionate shift in planning and infrastructure. The expansion of NH-27 to accommodate the increasing urban traffic has been rapid but haphazard. Without any structured implementation of urban traffic management, the very design of this highway now seems incompatible with safe transit, especially during peak hours.
Adding to the concern is the identification of multiple black spots and vulnerable zones along this stretch. As per road safety definitions, a black spot is a 500-metre area that witnesses more than three to four fatal accidents every year for three consecutive years. Meanwhile, vulnerable zones are areas where frequent non-fatal but serious mishaps take place.
The now-sealed U-turn, which has been a recent hotspot for accidents.
Experts say that while these classifications are useful for identifying areas in need of urgent intervention, very little action has followed. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior official from the Assam District Road Safety Committee said, “The list of black spots has already been prepared. But merely identifying them is not enough. There needs to be follow-up action to mitigate the risks—something that has been largely absent on the ground. But, there are ongoing efforts to mitigate.”
One of the more alarming revelations is that the completion of new flyovers in the area has coincided with an uptick in the number of accidents. Intended to ease congestion and enable seamless transit, these elevated stretches have instead contributed to more confusion and reckless driving due to lack of signage, absence of Integrated Traffic Management Systems (ITMS), and inconsistent enforcement of speed limits.
“Ever since the flyover at Basistha was inaugurated, we've seen more accidents at the underpass area. The flyovers are built, but the service lanes and junctions below them are left completely unattended,” said a resident of Beharbari who commutes daily through the stretch.
Despite repeated calls for stricter enforcement of traffic rules, NH-27 continues to lack basic safety infrastructure. The highway is devoid of functioning interceptors, properly demarcated speed limits, and clear signage—each of which plays a critical role in regulating traffic behaviour.
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People crossing the road as vehicles zoom by.
“There’s no uniformity in the speed limits. Some parts of the road have yellow paint indicating limits, while others have no markings at all,” said a local cab driver. “Even where speed limits are painted on the road, there are no cameras or ITMS to actually enforce them.”
A source from the District Road Safety Committee confirmed to GPlus, “Those yellow markings are merely suggestive. They are meant to spread awareness, but since national highways are governed by centrally established norms, enforcement is technically limited unless specified by a national order.”
Moreover, attempts at public education have so far fallen short. While the District Transport Office (DTO) has conducted awareness programmes, the impact remains negligible. “Public awareness campaigns are a good start, but without enforcement and infrastructural support, they don’t achieve much,” said a road safety expert based in Guwahati.
To add to the woes of daily commuters, authorities have temporarily barricaded several U-turns in an attempt to reduce accident risk. However, this has only increased traffic snarls as vehicles are being redirected to under-flyover junctions that are already poorly managed.
Key intersections such as Basistha, Beharbari, and Gorchuk have turned into daily gridlock zones, particularly during morning and evening peak hours. With no visible traffic marshals or guidance, commuters are left to navigate the chaos on their own.
Congestion of traffic under NH 27.
“There are times when it takes more than 40 minutes just to cross from Beharbari to Lokhra due to mismanagement at U-turns,” said a college student who travels to Ganeshguri daily. “We’re often stuck near underpasses where the design simply does not support such redirection of traffic.”
While vehicular safety has been a dominant point of concern, the plight of pedestrians is even more dire. The highway lacks safe pedestrian crossings, and jaywalking across six-lane roads remains a common but life-threatening practice. Authorities have proposed the construction of five foot over-bridges (FOBs) to improve pedestrian safety, but these are not expected to materialise anytime soon.
“It will take more than 24 months just to initiate the Plan of Action for the FOBs,” admitted the source from the DRSC. “This delay is unacceptable given the current risk to life.”
Residents fear that by the time these facilities are constructed, more lives may be lost unnecessarily. “Every time someone tries to cross near ISBT or Gorchuk, it feels like a gamble with death,” said an elderly resident of Lalmati.
Urban planners argue that the root of the problem lies in the unplanned urbanisation of what was essentially a rural highway. “You cannot simply widen a road and expect it to serve the needs of a growing city without putting in place urban traffic management solutions,” said a city-based urban transport consultant.
“Urban highways require pedestrian zones, service lanes, cycle tracks, and designated crossings. NH-27 has none of these, and yet it caters to lakhs of vehicles and thousands of pedestrians daily. It's a planning disaster in slow motion.”
The transformation from a rural connector to an urban artery has not been matched with changes in land use policy, commuter behaviour regulation, or even zoning reforms. What remains is an ill-fitted stretch of concrete where vehicles and pedestrians compete for survival.
With the highway now gaining the unfortunate reputation of being a death corridor, public patience is wearing thin. There is mounting pressure on authorities—from the PWD, the DTO, and the traffic police—to act before things spiral further out of control.
The current survey being conducted to improve U-turn safety is a small step, but without a larger integrated plan involving urban design, enforcement technology, and public cooperation, NH-27 is unlikely to shake off its grim record.
“The government needs to wake up. Every day we are sending our children, parents, and workers onto this road, and every day there is a chance they might not return,” said a local activist working on road safety issues in the city.
Until these concerns are addressed comprehensively, NH-27 will remain not a symbol of connectivity, but a tragic reminder of what happens when development moves faster than planning.