Coal Traders Cry Foul Over Harassment in Assam Despite Centre’s Push for Streamlined Transit

Even as the Centre has been celebrating the start of scientific coal mining in Meghalaya, coal traders and transporters say the real battle is being fought on the highways of Assam, a battle against harassment, delays and what they call outright illegal extortion.

The Ministry of Coal, in its latest statement, hailed the June 2025 commencement of production from two mines- the Saryngkham A Coal Block in East Jaintia Hills and the Pyndengshahlang Coal Block in West Khasi Hills, as a milestone for the Northeast. With all statutory clearances in place, the Centre pitched this as a new era of legal, safe and environmentally responsible mining, underpinned by promises of smooth inter-state coal movement.

But those moving the coal insist that promise is being broken. Transporters allege that as soon as their trucks cross into Assam, they are stopped repeatedly, often under the pretext of checking documents or tax papers. Even when every form and permit is in order, they claim, the trucks are held back unless an informal “passing tax” is paid.

“This so-called passing tax has no legal standing, but refusing to pay means losing hours, sometimes an entire day,” a transporter told Republic, requesting anonymity. “We are following every rule the Central government has set. Yet, unless we hand over money, we can’t move,” he added.

For traders, these roadblocks mean more than just inconvenience. They translate into mounting operational costs, missed deadlines, and a supply chain that’s constantly on edge. Many fear that this unchecked practice is eroding the credibility of the very reforms the Centre has been pushing to clean up the sector.

Industry sources warn that if such practices persist, the economic promise of Meghalaya’s scientific mining will be undercut before it even gathers momentum.

The Ministry’s statement urged “active cooperation of all State Governments” to make scientific coal mining a success and to keep coal transportation free of bottlenecks. Traders are now looking squarely at Dispur, demanding swift intervention to ensure Assam aligns with central directives and to finally break what they describe as a deep-rooted culture of harassment on the state’s roads.