Gurgaon: Five highways and expressways passing through Gurgaon — made to facilitate seamless connectivity — have emerged as the most dangerous stretches for commuters, accounting for more than half of all road fatalities in the district, according to a report presented during a road safety meeting on Wednesday.The findings show 228 people lost their lives on NH-48, NH-919, NH-248A, NH-248BB and SH-15A between March 2025-26 — 53% of all road deaths in the district. Accident density on these corridors ranged from 0.78 to 3.34 crashes per kilometre, underlining the scale of risk on roads that were designed to move traffic efficiently but have instead become sites of recurring tragedy.The Delhi-Jaipur Highway (NH-48) has been the deadliest: its 44-km stretch recorded 147 deaths and 133 fatal accidents, the highest fatality density among all major corridors in the district. Officials said several black spots have already been identified on the highway.The 26-km Gurgaon-Alwar Road (NH-248A) followed with 31 deaths and 30 fatal accidents, ahead of the 15-km Sohna-Rewari Road (NH-919), where 21 people were killed in 17 crashes. The 19-km Dwarka Expressway (NH-248BB) reported 16 deaths and 15 fatal accidents, while the 17-km Jhajjar Road (SH-15A) recorded 13 deaths in 11 crashes.Officials cited speeding and engineering deficiencies as among the primary contributors to fatalities on these corridors. Illegal and unplanned road cuts created by locals and commercial establishments have further increased risks. Wrong-side driving has emerged as a particularly serious concern on Dwarka Expressway, Sohna Elevated Road and NH-48, where motorists frequently drive against traffic to take shortcuts.Inadequate pedestrian infrastructure compounds the danger. A shortage of foot overbridges and underpasses forces residents of nearby villages and housing societies to cross busy carriageways at unsafe points. Poor lighting on several stretches aggravates the problem further, making potholes, sharp turns and other hazards difficult to spot at night.Road safety expert Saurabh Saxena, who works closely with the traffic police, said the crisis has a structural dimension that goes beyond enforcement. “Highways and expressways are ideally designed to bypass cities rather than pass through them — they are meant to function like ring roads, carrying high-speed traffic away from city streets,” he said. “The problem in Gurgaon is that the city has developed around these corridors. A large share of local traffic uses them even though they are built for high-speed movement.”Saxena pointed out that such roads are not designed to accommodate pedestrians or slow-moving vehicles like two-wheelers. “When local traffic, pedestrians and high-speed vehicles are forced to share the same space, the risk of accidents increases significantly,” he said.Taking note of the findings, deputy commissioner Uttam Singh directed NHAI, PWD and other agencies to identify accident-prone black spots and implement corrective measures on priority. Joint inspections will be conducted at vulnerable locations. Agencies have been asked to install additional road signage, improve lane markings, implement speed-calming measures, repair and operationalise streetlights, and develop designated bus stops and bays. Safe pedestrian crossing facilities, including foot overbridges and underpasses, will also be created wherever required.Gurgaon has been included in the Centre’s zero fatality district campaign under the ministry of road transport and highways, under which the district administration, traffic police and road-owning agencies will work jointly to reduce accidents through engineering improvements and stricter enforcement.
