The Madhya Pradesh High Court has sought a response from the Central Government and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) over a massive 8 km long traffic jam that recently paralysed the Agra-Mumbai National Highway’s Indore-Dewas stretch.
The court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed over the severe congestion, which reportedly lasted around 50 hours. During the hearing, a statement made by NHAI’s counsel raised eyebrows and drew sharp reactions. Representing the authority, the lawyer remarked in court, “Why do people leave their homes so early without any purpose?”
High Court Issues Notice, Seeks Reply In A Week
A division bench of Justice Vivek Rusia and Justice Binod Kumar Dwivedi of the Indore bench issued notices to the Centre, NHAI, as well as the Indore district administration and police. They have been asked to file their replies within a week.
The court also directed that a private firm currently handling road construction on the Indore-Dewas highway be added as a respondent in the case. Additionally, it ordered that the interim traffic diversion for heavy vehicles along the stretch remain in effect.
Thousands Stranded, Death Reported
According to the petitioner’s counsel, Girish Patwardhan, the gridlock between Wednesday and Friday left thousands of vehicles stranded and caused significant public distress. The PIL demands that the ongoing construction on this crucial highway segment be monitored under the supervision of the High Court to ensure accountability from the authorities involved.
In a tragic development linked to the chaos, Vijay Panchal from Indore’s Bijalpur area claimed that his 65-year-old father, Kamal Panchal, died of a heart attack after being trapped in the jam inside their car.
Following widespread public anger over the ordeal, the local police and administration eventually stepped in to ease the traffic situation between Indore and Dewas.
(Story by Zaheen Taqvi, ABP News.)
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