Indore, June 30 (IANS) The Madhya Pradesh High Court, Indore Bench has sought a detailed response within seven days from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the Indore district Collector, and other concerned authorities over the 40-hour traffic jam on the Indore-Dewas highway that reportedly claimed three lives and left thousands stranded.

The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Dewas-based advocate Anand Adhikari, following the massive gridlock that began on Friday and extended well into Saturday.

The double bench of Justice Vivek Rusia and Justice Binod Kumar Dwivedi expressed concern over the incident and directed that the “interim traffic diversion” measures for heavy vehicles remain in place until the next hearing.

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 counsel added that only the company’s officials could explain the delay in project completion. The NHAI also noted that similar jams had occurred on the Ujjain road.

The petitioner highlighted that three individuals, 62-year-old Kamal Panchal of Indore, 55-year-old Balram Patel of Shujalpur, and 32-year-old Sandeep Patel of Gari Pipalya, lost their lives due to medical emergencies while stuck in the eight-kilometre-long jam.

Two reportedly suffered heart attacks, while one patient died before reaching the hospital. The court questioned whether the presence of MPs and ministers at the site had led to the eventual clearance of the jam, hinting at administrative inertia. The petitioners have demanded accountability and a long-term traffic management plan to prevent such tragedies in the future.

The case is listed to be heard again next week, with the court expecting comprehensive replies from all parties involved. The incident has sparked public outrage and renewed scrutiny of infrastructure planning and emergency response mechanisms on one of the state’s busiest highway corridors.

--IANS

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