Assam Congress Seeks Higher Relief and Probe Into Kaziranga Highway Crash

UPDATE - follow-up to Assam Congress writes to PM, seeks enhanced aid for victims of Kaziranga accident: Assam Congress leader Debabrata Saikia has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to demand higher financial help for the victims of the recent Kaziranga road tragedy.

Demands For Victims

Mr. Saikia asked the Prime Minister to raise the total compensation to at least 20 lakh rupees for the family of each person who died, which includes the nine lakh rupees already announced by the Central and State Governments. He also asked for extra money for families that lost multiple members, free medical treatment for the 20 injured people, disability help, and jobs or money support for families that lost their main breadwinner. He requested scholarships for the children of the victims.

Highway And Probe

The Congress leader pointed out that the National Highway-715 stretch is in very bad shape and blamed the authorities for ignoring basic road safety steps. He wants a full independent inquiry into the accident, the condition and design of the road, traffic control, and safety setups. He also said that the conduct of the drivers must be checked and administrative accountability must be fixed.

Reactions And Broader Concerns

Mr. Saikia thanked the Prime Minister for giving quick financial aid after the crash, but he criticized Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for his response. He stated that the Chief Minister failed to properly address local anger about the highway and argued that talk of a possible medical emergency for the driver should not hide bad road infrastructure. He also noted that traffic rules were earlier relaxed due to political pressure. Along with the crash, the letter touched upon local issues like healthcare, land buying, and environmental rules around Kaziranga.

Context

The crash happened on Friday, November 13, 2026, when a minibus and a container truck collided head-on near Kaziranga National Park, killing 26 people, including college students and minors, while injuring 20 others. National Highway-715 passes through this key wildlife region, where heavy traffic and road safety have long been major concerns for local residents and officials alike.