Gurugram Traffic Police identify 45 accident-prone points on NH-8

In the wake of the recent fatal crash at Exit 9 of NH-8 in Gurugram, where five youths lost their lives after a Thar collided with a divider, the traffic police have identified 45 accident-prone locations along the busy highway.

A detailed survey revealed serious safety gaps, including dividers without proper reflectors, poor night visibility, absence of speed limit boards and lack of signage. The high-risk spots include Kherki Daula toll plaza, the underground pedestrian crossing near Khandsa, the cloverleaf on the Dwarka Expressway, Jharsa underpass, Hero Honda Chowk underpass, and Rajiv Chowk.

Acting on the findings, the police have begun installing hazard markers at Exit 9. These markers improve visibility of the divider at night and reduce the impact in case of a collision.

DCP Traffic Dr Rajesh Mohan said remedial measures are being planned for all 45 identified spots. “To prevent accidents, the traffic police will install hazard markers at all dangerous locations with the help of private companies. Additionally, rumble strips, signage and clear speed limit boards will be installed to regulate speeds on the highway. Overspeeding and lane changing pose a high risk of accidents,” he said.

According to police, four major causes of accidents on the Delhi-Jaipur Highway and Dwarka Expressway are overspeeding, lane changing at high speeds, wrong-side driving on service lanes and the use of prohibited vehicles.

Between January and August this year, 153 road accidents were reported on NH-8, in which 79 people died and 111 were injured. Of these, 25 were fatal crashes while 86 were non-fatal. July recorded the highest number of accidents (22), followed by 20 each in March and August. The maximum number of deaths — 13 — occurred in May, followed by 12 in February and 11 in August.

The traffic police maintain that with corrective steps, visibility improvements, and stricter enforcement against overspeeding, accident rates can be brought down significantly.