Permission for tippers in Silchar from 1am-4am only; District admin issues clarification

Cachar deputy commissioner Laya Madduri, on Thursday, denied any change in the latest order in connection with the timing for entry of heavy vehicles, including tippers and trucks, in Silchar town and said these vehicles would be permitted in the town from 1am-4am only, until further orders.

A news report, published on Thursday in a leading Bengali newspaper, said a meeting was held at Cachar deputy commissioner’s office on Wednesday in which it was decided that the timing of entry for tippers and other heavy vehicles would be 11pm instead of 1pm. This made the rounds on social media with a huge number of people expressed their fury over the matter. It also drew severe reactions from various sections, especially from the media fraternity.

Madduri told Barak Bulletin over phone on Thursday that permission for heavy vehicles, like tippers and trucks, to ply in the town areas is from 1am to 4am only. “It was wrongly interpreted,” she said, when informed about the news report that said the change in timing for heavy vehicles by two hours.

The district administration had issued the order that heavy vehicles would be allowed within the town only from 1am to 4pm following a vigorous protest over the accidental death of a media person in Silchar on Sunday night.

Malin Sharma (43), who worked with a local cable news service Barak Television Network (BTN), died at Tarapur on Sunday night after a collision with a tipper. Several media persons blocked the road at the mishap site and demanded the arrest of the tipper driver. The blockade was withdrawn around 3am that night.

The incident triggered immense fury among the general public, particularly among the media fraternity, which demanded stringent measures to prevent reckless driving of heavy vehicles.

About the meeting on Wednesday, Madduri said a meeting of the traffic advisory committee was held in which representatives of different relevant bodies placed their perspectives and stressed that the timing be relaxed. However, the decision on this is yet to be taken. “The timing of 1am-4am will remain same until the next decision is taken after a discussion with all the stakeholders,” she said.

A clarification has also been issued on Thursday afternoon. It said the permission for heavy vehicles in Silchar town is from 1am to 4am only.

Sharing his reaction over the issue, Tamojit Bhattacharjee, senior reporter with Dainik Jugasankha, said the reckless and horrific driving by tippers on the streets of Silchar town at nights is a major threat to life. Heavy vehicles should not be allowed inside the town upto 12am atleast (if not 1am), he said.

Abhijit Bhattacharjee, a correspondent with Prag News, said a syndicate is active and a lot of money is involved surrounding the plying of tippers through Silchar at nights. The timing for plying of heavy vehicles in/through Silchar town should remain unchanged (1am-4am), he said.