A lawyer representing the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) questioned why people leave their homes early if they have no work.
This statement followed a 40-hour traffic jam on the Indore-Dewas highway on 27/6, which stranded 4,000 vehicles along an 8 km stretch and resulted in three deaths.
The victims were 62-year-old Kamal Panchal, who suffered a fatal heart attack due to suffocation and heat after being trapped in his car for over an hour; 55-year-old Balram Patel, who had underlying health conditions and died amidst the gridlock; and 32-year-old Sandeep Patel, whose cause of death remains unclear.
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The 40-hour traffic jam at the end of June on the Indore-Dewas highway resulted in three fatalities. Photo: Sootr |
The 40-hour traffic jam at the end of June on the Indore-Dewas highway resulted in three fatalities. Photo: Sootr
A lawyer caught in the jam filed a petition with the Madhya Pradesh high court.
The subsequent hearing included representatives from the NHAI, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), the Indore tax office, the Indore Police Commissioner, and the Indore Dewas road construction company.
The hearing revealed that the NHAI had received multiple notices. In 9/2023, the Madhya Pradesh high court ordered the construction of a detour, to be completed within four weeks. However, nearly 10 months later, the detour remained unfinished. Construction, road repairs, and poor road conditions contributed to the congestion.
The NHAI attributed the delay to a 10-day strike by gravel suppliers. However, the high court noted that a 10-day strike didn't justify a 10-month delay in building the detour. The NHAI requested 3-4 months to complete the work.
Following the NHAI lawyer's insensitive remarks, the Madhya Pradesh high court deemed such arguments unacceptable, affirming citizens' right to travel without explanation.
The next hearing is scheduled for 7/7.
My Anh (Business-standard)
