BHOPAL: The deaths of three men, aged 32 to 65, after reportedly being stuck in an over 30-hour, 8-km traffic jam on Indore-Dewas Highway have prompted a PIL in the MP High Court’s Indore Bench.
The PIL was recently filed by Dewas-based advocate Anand Adhikari.
While the High Court issued notices to the respondents, including the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) asking to file their replies in the matter before July 7, during the course of the hearing on Monday, the counsel representing the NHAI (which is tasked with maintaining the nation’s network) left everyone shell-shocked by casually questioning, “Why do people even leave home so early without any work?”
While confirming that the bizarre comment was made by the NHAI counsel during Monday’s hearing, the petitioner’s counsel Girish Patwardhan said, “Yes, the comment was made verbally by the advocate. The HC responded that the reasoning was not acceptable, as it would mean that citizens could no longer step out of their homes.”
Coming to know about the NHAI counsel’s casual comment in open court, Sumit Patel, the nephew of one of the deceased men, expressed shock and anger.
“How can such an insensitive statement be made by a responsible person before the court?” he asked, speaking to journalists on Wednesday.
Sumit said they had not left home a pleasure trip, but to save the life of his critically ill uncle, 55-year-old Balram Patel, who died after both oxygen cylinders in their vehicle were exhausted due to the long traffic jam.
He questioned whether the NHAI counsel would have made the same remark had the tragedy involved the kin of someone from the NHAI. "We condemn the casual comment made by the counsel for the NHAI in the court,” he said.
d service roads and absence of adequate traffic diversion plan.
NHAI distances itself from comment
In a latest development on Wednesday, the NHAI distanced itself from the comment made by the counsel in the HC on Monday. “It’s hereby clarified that the remark made by the advocate doesn’t represent the NHAI’s official version. The remark was made by the advocate without any authorization by the NHAI. Accordingly, a show cause notice has been served to the advocate.”
According to Girish Patwardhan, who is representing the petitioner, “The petition has been filed by the Dewas-based advocate Anand Adhikari, who was himself stuck in the same traffic jam on June 27.”
“The double judge bench of the HC in Indore on Monday, heard the PIL and has issued notice to the multiple respondents, including the NHAI, the ministry of road transport and highways, the Indore district collector, Indore Police and the road construction company.”
During Monday’s hearing, the HC also reminded that it had ordered completion of the diversion road within four weeks in September 2024, but still that road remained unfinished.
The NHAI reportedly blamed a ten-day stone crusher unit strike for the delay in completing the diversion road. The HC, however, remained unimpressed by the NHAI’s reasoning.
The PIL will next be heard on July 7.
Importantly, three men, including 65-year-old Vijay Panchal, 55-year-old critically ailing patient Balram Patel and 32-year-old security guard Sandeep Patel, had reportedly died due to the traffic jam between Mangliya and Arjun Baroda villages in Indore district on the Indore-Dewas Highway on June 26-27.
The nearly 8-km long traffic jam, which continued for more than 30 hours on June 26-27, reportedly happened due to delayed construction of a six-lane bridge, unfinished service roads and absence of adequate traffic diversion plan.