Who is responsible for 16 deaths on highway?:Labourers packed like cattle, police RTO ignore overloading, NHAI builds faulty divider

The horrific accident on Indore-Ahmedabad National Highway 47 has left 16 families grieving, while over 25 people continue battling for their lives in hospitals in Indore and Dhar. The biggest question now is how the crash happened and who is responsible. Bhaskar’s investigation found road safety norms were being openly ignored at the spot. When concerns were raised over road management by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), the Indore DIG also highlighted security flaws. Negligence by the loading vehicle driver was also exposed, as he had packed people into a vehicle meant for cattle and goods. Questions are also being raised over the role of the police and RTO for allowing such overloaded vehicles on the road. Three biggest responsible parties for the accident First responsible party NHAI: No reflectors, road adjacent to divider As darkness fell on Wednesday evening, a tragic accident occurred near the Jio petrol pump on the Indore-Ahmedabad National Highway-47. A high-speed loading vehicle going from Indore towards Ahmedabad suddenly lost control, crossed the divider, and entered the other lane. It had a horrific collision with a Scorpio coming from the opposite direction, and the loading vehicle plunged into a ditch. According to eyewitnesses, the vehicle’s speed was about 100 km/h, and it overturned 4 to 5 times. Flaw 1 – Divider too close to road, poor safety
At the accident site, the road and divider are too close. When the vehicle lost balance, the divider failed to stop it and it crossed to the other side. A higher divider or bushes/small trees could have reduced speed and damage. Flaw 2 – No reflectors or warning signs
Despite the high-speed stretch, there were no reflectors or yellow lights to alert the driver. Such indicators could have slowed the vehicle and possibly prevented the accident. Flaw 3 – Uneven divider design
At the cut point, both dividers are not aligned in a straight line. At high speed, the driver suddenly failed to judge the divider ahead, causing the vehicle to go out of control. Indore Rural DIG Manoj Kumar Singh also confirmed flaws in the road engineering and wrote to NHAI seeking improvements. Officials who reached the spot were seen fixing the flaws but avoided speaking. Second responsible – Loading vehicle driver The loading vehicle driver was the second major person responsible for the accident. The driver is safe. The police arrested him after first aid and sent him to jail. People were being transported in a vehicle meant for carrying animals or goods. Surprisingly, more than 50 laborers were packed into the small vehicle. There were no safety arrangements. On top of that, the speed was around 100 km per hour. In such a situation, even a slight mistake was bound to prove fatal. Flaw 1 – Unsafe and unorganised labour transport
Women from Semlipura, Rampura, and Nayapura villages died in the accident. Due to severe unemployment, people travel to other villages for work. Contractors gather women and cram them into loading vehicles meant for goods transport. Flaw 2 – Risk driven by commission greed
Contractors overload vehicles to earn more. Daily wages are around ₹300 per labourer, with ₹50 deducted as commission. Vehicles wait outside villages in the morning, carry labourers to work, and drop them back in the evening. Flaw 3 – Lack of awareness and alternatives
Most villages around Semlipura are tribal areas with limited education and job opportunities. Rampura resident Sitaram said people take such dangerous journeys out of compulsion, no one stops them, and accidents happen often without any action. Third responsible – Police-RTO People travelling in loading vehicles is not a new thing in the area. Even after the accident, such vehicles were seen running fearlessly around Dhar on the Indore-Ahmedabad National Highway and in many parts of the city. It is the police’s responsibility to stop them, but action often remains limited to mere formality. On the other hand, the functioning of the RTO is also under question. How fitness checks are conducted has been exposed by this accident. Flaw 1 – Not stopped despite crossing several police station areas
The loading vehicle, meant for goods and fitted with an extra iron shed on top, was carrying around 50 labourers. It picked up passengers from Nayapura, Semlipura, and Rampura, then travelled 25 km to Baggad near Lebad, passing through Tirla, Nogaon, and Sadalpur police station areas without being stopped. Flaw 2 – Insurance expired, yet still operating
The insurance of vehicle number MP13 ZT 6776 had expired on March 3, while its fitness is reportedly valid till April 1, 2027. The vehicle operating without insurance and a lack of checks exposes serious negligence. Pain and mourning spread across three villages The accident has deeply broken the people of three villages – Rampura, Semlipura, and Nayapura. In these villages, with a small population of 200 to 250, there is now only silence. Mourning has spread in every street, at every doorstep. Most deaths occurred in Nayapura, where eight members of the same family perished in this accident. In Semlipura, the hearths of four houses were extinguished, and that too in the same lane, very close to each other. In Rampura too, two women, Priya and Maina, lost their lives, while one is still fighting for her life in the hospital. Two stories of grief Both parents are gone, only silence in son’s eyes The story of 40-year-old Anguri Bhuria from Semlipura is a double tragedy. About five years ago, her husband died in a road accident. Since then, she has been supporting the family through labour work. Now, another road accident has taken her life too. Left behind is her 14-year-old son Vikrant. When we tried to speak to him, he could not say a word. Tears rolled down his face as relatives tried to console him. There is now no earning member left in the family. Kiran came to visit her aunt, but never returned This became the last journey for 9-year-old Kiran from Semlipura. She had come to her aunt’s house a month ago. With no one at home, she boarded the same loading vehicle with her aunt. She was expected to return by evening, but never came back. Her life ended in the accident. Another victim, 35-year-old Bhuribai, also died. Relative Mukesh Bhuria said only three children are now left in the family, as her husband had already passed away.