In a tragic turn of events, three people lost their lives after being stuck in a 32-hour-long traffic jam on the Indore-Dewas highway, highlighting serious flaws in the city's traffic management and infrastructure planning.
The 8-km-long jam, which began on Thursday evening and lasted until late Friday night, was triggered by ongoing highway construction and severe waterlogging caused by torrential rainfall. The diversion of vehicles onto a narrow service lane and the lack of alternative village routes worsened the gridlock, stranding over 4,000 vehicles.
Among the victims was Sandeep Patel (32), who suffered a heart attack while being rushed to the hospital. His family was unable to reach the medical facility in time due to the congestion.
Kamal Panchal (62) and Balram Patel (55) also died in separate incidents linked to the prolonged delay. Kamal's son said his father felt uneasy and fainted while they were stuck for over 90 minutes, and was declared dead at a Dewas hospital.
The incident prompted swift administrative action. Indore Collector Asheesh Singh directed officials from NHAI, IMC, Traffic Police, and PWD to take immediate steps to ensure smoother traffic flow and prevent further casualties.
However, the tragedy drew sharp criticism from the opposition Congress, which blamed administrative negligence. "Three lives lost due to a preventable traffic jam. Action must be taken against responsible officials," said Congress spokesperson Amit Chaurasia.

3 Die After 32-Hour Traffic Jam on Indore-Dewas Highway

Massive congestion caused by road work and flooding leaves thousands stranded; fatalities spark outrage

3 Die After 32-Hour Traffic Jam on Indore-Dewas Highway

Massive congestion caused by road work and flooding leaves thousands stranded; fatalities spark outrage

June 29, 2025 | 20:28 IST