In a shocking development, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has come under severe criticism for its handling of a 40-hour-long traffic jam on the Indore–Dewas stretch of the Agra–Mumbai National Highway, which resulted in the death of three individuals.
The incident, which occurred in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore district, led to the Madhya Pradesh High Court issuing a legal notice to the Central government, NHAI, as well as the local administration and police. The court questioned the highway authority’s delay in completing roadworks, especially since a deadline was set back in September 2024 for the construction of a diversion road—which remains incomplete even in June 2025.
Shockingly, NHAI’s legal counsel, during the PIL hearing, reportedly responded with, “Why do people even leave home so early without any work?”—a statement that appeared to blame the public instead of acknowledging administrative failure.
NHAI cited a 10-day crusher unit strike as the reason for the delay, but the court rejected the justification, noting that NHAI had originally requested 3–4 months to complete the work.
Victims Identified:
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Kamal Panchal (62) from Indore — reportedly died of a heart attack due to suffocation from the heat.
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Balram Patel (55) from Shujalpur — his family had rushed him out to save his life, but he died stuck in traffic.
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Sandeep Patel (32) from Gari Pipalya village.
The court has asked all involved parties to respond by July 7, 2025, as pressure mounts for accountability and immediate remedial action on India’s national highways.
