‘Why Leave Home Early?': NHAI Lawyers Bizarre Remark After 3 Deaths In 40-Hour Traffic Jam

India.com

13 hours ago

The argument by the advocate representing the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)'s case in the Madhya Pradesh High Court has left many shocked. This comes in the aftermath of a 40-hour-long traffic jam that brought the Indore-Dewas road in Madhya Pradesh to a standstill on June 27 (Friday), severely affecting the region.
NHAI is an autonomous government agency that is responsible for the management of the Indian road network.
There were over 4,000 vehicles trapped in an 8-kilometre-long stretch, according to IANS. Furthermore, the traffic jam led to the death of three individuals- Kamal Panchal from Indore, Sandeep Patel from Gari Pipalya, and Balram Patel from Shujalpur. Meanwhile, the NHAI's advocate posed a question in the open court that stunned everyone.
"Why do people even leave so early without any work?" according to a report by NDTV, the NHAI's advocate said.
Three Individuals Lost Their Lives
As per IANS, Kamal Panchal (62) farmer and resident of Bijalpur, Indore, was on his way with family to attend his sister's post-funeral ceremony, and his vehicle became stranded near Arjun Baroda village due to a traffic diversion. The senior citizen began experiencing distress and collapsed inside the car. With no medical help accessible and traffic unmoving for over 90 minutes, his family could only get Panchal to a nearby hospital in Dewas after the jam was cleared, and there he was declared dead upon arrival.
Meanwhile, Sandeep Patel (32) developed chest pain and was being transported from Gari Pipalya to Indore. After doctors in Mangalia recommended immediate transfer to a larger facility, the vehicle got stuck in gridlock for three hours near Talavli Chanda and Dewas Naka. Sandeep died of a suspected heart attack during the delay.
Balram Patel (55) from Shujalpur, whose oxygen cylinders had depleted while his family tried unsuccessfully to escape the jam. Despite having two cylinders in the vehicle, one ran out in Dewas, and the second failed, while the car stuck for two hours. Balram passed away in the vehicle, IANS reported.
Petition In Court
The MP High Court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Dewas-based advocate Anand Adhikari, following the massive traffic jam that started on Friday and extended well into Saturday. The bench of Justice Vivek Rusia and Justice Binod Kumar Dwivedi expressed concern over the incident.
IANS reported that during the proceedings, NHAI's counsel, Advocate Anita Sharma, informed the court that the congestion was primarily caused by ongoing construction work near Mangalia, being executed by a private company.
The court inquired whether the presence of MPs and ministers at the site had led to the eventual clearance of the jam, hinting at administrative inertia.
HC Seeks Reply
The Madhya Pradesh High Court, Indore Bench, has sought a detailed response within seven days from the NHAI, the Indore district Collector, and other concerned authorities over the 40-hour traffic jam. The case is listed to be heard again next week, with the court expecting comprehensive replies from all parties involved.
The petitioners have demanded accountability and a long-term traffic management plan to prevent such tragedies in the future.
The jam exposed serious administrative lapses in traffic management, ultimately leading to fatal consequences.