"Why Do People Without Any Work Step Out Early?" NHAI Lawyer To Court On Traffic Jam
We all know that when situations become out of control, the government and its agencies tend to shift the blame on others. However, recently all the limits were crossed by NHAI (National Highways Authority of India). During a court hearing that took place after a 40-hour-long traffic jam in which three people died at the Indore-Dewas highway, the advocate representing NHAI gave a very cruel statement saying, “Why do people even leave home so early without any work?”
Inconsiderate comment by NHAI after 40-hour, 8 km-long traffic jam
For those who may not be aware, recently at the Indore-Dewas highway, over 4,000 vehicles were stuck in a traffic jam which was 40 hours long and extended for 8 km. What was even more gutting was that three innocent people lost their lives while being stuck in the traffic jam. Their names are - Kamal Panchal, aged 62, from Indore, who died of a heart attack which was triggered by suffocation and extreme heat while being stuck in his vehicle for an hour.
Also, Balram Patel, aged 55, from Shujalpur, who was already suffering a medical condition, died. Lastly, Sandeep Patel, aged 32, a resident of Gari Pipalya village, also lost his life. In the same traffic jam, the Dewas-based lawyer - Advocate Anand Adhikari - was also stuck, and due to this, he filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) at the Madhya Pradesh High Court.
It was mentioned in the reports that Sumit Patel (nephew of the deceased Balram Patel) replied to the cruel comment. He stated, “No one has the time to roam without reason. We were on the road trying to save a life. If NHAI officials had experienced what we did, they wouldn't ask such questions.”
Agencies called out during the hearing
Following the filing of the plea, the hearing took place at the Madhya Pradesh High Court in front of the division bench comprising Justice Vivek Rusia and Justice Bonod Kumar Dwivedi. As for the agencies which were named in the PIL - the list included the National Highways Authority of India (Delhi and Indore offices), Ministry of Roads, Transport and Highways, Indore Collector’s office, Indore Police Commissioner, road construction company, and Indore Dewas Tollways Ltd.
Not the first time that NHAI has been called
During the hearing, it was noted that NHAI has been sent notices on multiple occasions. Back in September 2023, the High Court of Madhya Pradesh ordered the construction of a diversion road to be completed within four weeks. However, nearly ten months after the initial order, the road is still incomplete.
At the time, NHAI had blamed a 10-day strike by crusher units which supply the crushed stone for road base. However, the High Court noted that a 10-day strike does not justify a 10-month delay in the construction of the diversion road. It was also highlighted that NHAI had already sought 3–4 months to finish the diversion work.
What did the court say after the cruel NHAI lawyer's statement?
Following the bold and cruel statement given by NHAI’s lawyer, the Madhya Pradesh High Court emphasized that such arguments are unacceptable in a democracy. It added that citizens are free to move without needing to justify their travel. It was also highlighted by Senior Advocate Girish Patwardhan that the statement was not entertained or taken seriously during the hearing.