Two Drivers Critically Injured as Highway Jam Stretches for Hours
Key Points:
- Nine vehicles crash in separate accidents on Danua Ghati stretch
- Two drivers critically injured, sent to hospital for treatment
- Locals demand speed control, better lighting and CCTV cameras
DHANBAD – The Danua Ghati stretch on National Highway-19 (NH-19) once again became the scene of severe road accidents, with nine vehicles meeting with crashes at different points along the stretch.
Two vehicle drivers sustained critical injuries in the accidents. A long traffic jam built up on the highway following the crashes, with vehicles queued for several kilometres on both sides, leaving commuters stranded for hours.
According to eyewitnesses, sharp bends, slippery road conditions and speeding vehicles on the ghati caused one vehicle after another to lose control and collide with each other.
On being informed, police and a team from the National Highways Authority of India reached the spot and began relief and rescue operations. Both critically injured drivers were given first aid before being sent to the hospital.
Traffic was gradually restored to normalcy after the damaged vehicles were removed from the road with the help of cranes. However, it took several hours for the jam to fully clear.
Meanwhile, local residents said accidents keep recurring on the Danua Ghati stretch, yet effective safety measures have not been put in place despite the repeated incidents.
Residents have demanded speed control mechanisms, additional warning signage, better lighting, CCTV surveillance and regular police patrolling on the stretch to help curb such incidents in the future.
Besides launching relief operations, police have begun an investigation into the causes of the accidents and have appealed to drivers to exercise caution and adhere to the prescribed speed limit while driving through the ghati section.
