Hundreds of vehicles, queued bumper-to-bumper, have been stranded for the past four days on a flooded stretch of the Delhi–Kolkata Highway in Bihar’s Rohtas district and there’s still no relief in sight.
The chaos began after torrential rains lashed Rohtas last Friday, submerging diversions and service lanes built by the six-lane construction company along National Highway 19. Massive potholes have since appeared, and waterlogging has made the road dangerously slippery, worsening the jam by the hour.
The gridlock now extends up to Aurangabad, nearly 65 km from Rohtas, with vehicles inching forward painfully slow. In many areas, commuters say it takes hours to cover just a few kilometres, and in some sections, vehicles barely move five kilometres in 24 hours.
Drivers Stuck Without Food Or Water
“Over the past 30 hours, we’ve travelled only seven kilometres. Despite paying tolls and road taxes, we’re stuck here for hours. Neither NHAI officials nor local authorities are visible on the ground,” an NDTV report quoted a truck driver stranded in the jam.
Another driver, Sanjay Singh, shared his ordeal, “We’ve been stuck for two days. There’s no food or water. We’re exhausted. Even moving a few kilometres takes hours.”
The prolonged gridlock has disrupted businesses, with truckers carrying perishable goods fearing massive losses. Pedestrians, ambulances, emergency services, and tourist vehicles are also struggling to navigate the jammed route.
When contacted, NHAI Project Director Ranjit Verma declined to appear on camera or comment on the situation.