Three dead in 32-hour traffic jam which stretched upto 8km near Indore
The victims included 65-year-old farmer Kamal Panchal, 55-year-old cancer patient Balram Patel, and 32-year-old security guard Sandeep Patel, all of whom succumbed to health complications while stuck in the prolonged traffic snarl.
Recounting the ordeal, Vijay Panchal, son of the deceased farmer Kamal Panchal from Bijalpur (Indore), said, 'I was driving with my father, mother and wife to attend the Trayodashah ceremony (13th-day rituals) of my deceased aunt in Dewas district when we got trapped in the jam for over two hours. The stretch between Mangliya and Arjun Baroda on the Indore-Dewas Bypass normally takes 15–20 minutes to cover.'
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Mint
2 days ago
- Mint
‘Why do people leave early…' NHAI lawyer's shocking remark after 3 die amid 40 hr traffic jam in MP stirs debate
The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) faced backlash after its lawyer questioned why people leave home early with no work during court proceedings about a 40-hour traffic jam in Madhya Pradesh that resulted in three deaths. "Why do people even leave home so early without any work?" a report by NDTV quoted the NHAI lawyer. Both judiciary and the public were surprised by his statement. The lawyer's comments come during the hearing of a case regarding a massive traffic jam stretching more than eight kilometres, where over 4,000 vehicles were stranded on Friday, June 27. Three people lost their lives. Kamal Panchal, 62, from Indore, reportedly died of a heart attack caused by the heat inside the vehicle. The other two deceased were identified as Balram Patel, 55, and Sandeep Patel, 32, the report said. Sumit Patel, nephew of Balram Patel, expressed his disappointment on the NHAI lawyer's comment. "No one has the time to roam the streets without reason. We were on the road trying to save a life — my uncle's. If an NHAI official had been stuck like us, they'd understand the trauma," NDTV quoted him. Following the lawyer's remark, advocate Anand Adhikari filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Madhya Pradesh High Court. He was also stuck in the same traffic on June 27. On Monday, June 30, the Bench consisting of Justice Vivek Rusia and Justice Binod Kumar Dwivedi heard the case. The court ordered that several parties be added as respondents, including NHAI (Delhi and Indore divisions), the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the Indore Collector, the Indore Police Commissioner, the road construction company, and Indore Dewas Tollways Ltd, the report stated. The court reiterated a September 2024 order, telling NHAI to complete the diversion road within four weeks. However, the road remains unfinished. NHAI attributed the delay to a 10-day strike by crusher units despite having previously requested up to four months for the project. The report stated that the judges seemed unsatisfied by this explanation.
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Business Standard
3 days ago
- Business Standard
NHAI faces court scrutiny after 3 deaths in 40-hour Indore bypass jam
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on Monday made a surprising remark in the Madhya Pradesh High Court that has sparked outrage and criticism for the authority that is responsible for maintaining national routes in India. According to a report by NDTV, during the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), NHAI's legal counsel reportedly said: "Why do people even leave home so early without any work?" The case relates to a 40-hour traffic jam on the Indore–Dewas section of the Agra–Mumbai National Highway, in which three people died last week. The counsel made this remark in relation to the massive traffic jam on Friday. The jam left Kamal Panchal (62) from Indore, Balram Patel (55) from Shujalpur, and Sandeep Patel (32) from Gari Pipalya village dead, the report added. Court issues notice In relation to the plea, the bench of Justices Vivek Rusia and Binod Kumar Dwivedi issued notice to the Centre and NHAI as well as the administration and police of Indore, seeking reply within a week. The court also directed that a private company constructing a road between Indore and Dewas on the National Highway be included in the list of respondents, reported PTI. The court also noted that it ordered the completion of the road within four weeks in September last year, but it still remains unfinished, reported NDTV. On being asked about the same, the NHAI said that the delay was caused by the crusher units' strike. On NHAI's counsel's remark, Girish Patwardhan, appearing for the petitioner, said that such reasoning is "unacceptable". "It would mean that ordinary citizens could no longer safely step out of their homes. The court did not take this argument seriously," he said, as quoted by NDTV. Indore Collector Asheesh Singh visited the site on Saturday and blamed the traffic crisis on substandard construction work by the NHAI. He noted that the poorly built service road had developed potholes under the strain of heavy vehicular movement. The situation was further worsened by ongoing construction, which led to additional diversion-related pressure on the bypass, reported Dainik Bhaskar. The court has set July 7 as the next date of hearing.
NDTV
3 days ago
- NDTV
'Why Step Out So Early?' Highway Body's Shocker After 40-Hour Jam, 3 Deaths
Bhopal: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), entrusted with maintaining the country's road network, stunned many in court this week with a remark that revealed more about institutional apathy than it did about accountability. "Why do people even leave home so early without any work?" This was the question posed by NHAI's lawyer in response to a 40-hour traffic jam on the Indore-Dewas highway, a jam that left three dead. The comment, casually made in open court, has sparked outrage and disbelief. For the families who lost their loved ones, it wasn't just insensitive - it was cruel. Three Lives Lost, Thousands Stranded The jam began Friday and stretched for 8 kilometers, trapping over 4,000 vehicles. Among the dead were Kamal Panchal (62) from Indore - died of a heart attack after suffocating in the heat while stuck in traffic for over an hour. Balram Patel (55) from Shujalpur and Sandeep Patel (32) from Gari Pipalya village. Sumit Patel, Balram's nephew, was furious: "No one has the time to roam the streets without reason. We were on the road trying to save a life - my uncle's. If an NHAI official had been stuck like us, they'd understand the trauma." The traffic jam lasted 40 hours The jam and resulting deaths prompted advocate Anand Adhikari from Dewas to file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL). Ironically, he too was stuck in the same jam while attempting to reach Indore. The Madhya Pradesh High Court, led by Justices Vivek Rusia and Binod Kumar Dwivedi, heard the case on Monday. The court made multiple agencies party to the case, including: NHAI (Delhi and Indore offices), The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, The Indore Collector, Indore Police Commissioner, The road construction company and Indore Dewas Tollways Ltd. The court noted that it had already ordered the completion of a diversion road within four weeks back in September. But the road remains unfinished. NHAI blamed a 10-day crusher unit strike, yet had previously requested three to four months to complete the work. The court appeared unimpressed, questioning the logic behind such delays. Senior Advocate Girish Patwardhan, representing the petitioner, stated, "The High Court has issued notices to NHAI, the Indore Police Commissioner, and the Indore Collector, directing them to submit their replies within one week. Additionally, the court has ordered that the toll company and the road construction company be made parties to the case. NHAI has been instructed to issue notices to the road contractor and the toll operator." He further added: "The High Court has specifically made NHAI, Indore-Dewas Toll Bridge Company, the construction firm, the Police Commissioner, and the Collector as respondents, asking them to respond within a week." The court raised a pointed question: "In September, it was claimed that the diversion road would be completed in four weeks. Why hasn't it been done yet?" In response, NHAI cited a strike by crusher units as the reason for the delay. On NHAI's argument in court - 'Why do people leave their homes without any work?', Patwardhan said: "This comment was indeed made in court. The Honourable Court responded that such reasoning is unacceptable, as it would mean that ordinary citizens could no longer safely step out of their homes. The court did not take this argument seriously." Indore Collector Ashish Singh conducted a field inspection and stated that the service road constructed by NHAI was too weak to handle the pressure of heavy vehicles. The road gave way, causing traffic to come to a halt. The court has set July 7 as the date for the next hearing and asked all parties to file written responses. But the real question remains: Will someone else die the next time they step out without "a valid reason"? Or will NHAI begin issuing "permission slips" for citizens to travel on Indian roads?
