GURGAON: The number of accident blackspots on national highways in the city has reduced from 28 to 22 in 2026, after authorities rectified 16 accident-prone stretches even as 10 new ones emerged, according to data compiled through the Sanjaya app, developed by the ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) to identify and evaluate blackspots.The previous audit was conducted in 2022. The latest report is based on accidents and fatalities recorded between 2024 and 2026.Of the 22 blackspots in the current report, 20 are on Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway (NH-8) and two on Gurgaon-Sohna Highway (NH-248A).A blackspot is defined as a 500-metre stretch on a national highway where at least five road accidents or 10 fatalities are recorded over three years.On NH-8, Manesar accounts for three blackspots, Pachgaon Chowk, Binola flyover and Naharpur have two each and one each has been identified near Kapriwas border, Bilaspur Chowk, Park Inn/Radisson Hotel, Fauji Dhaba, Nakhrola Chowk, Rampura flyover, Kherki Chowk (in front of Chinnar Hotel), Vatika Chowk, Narsinghpur, Khandsa FOB and Sector 31, where five occupants of a Mahindra Thar were killed after their SUV hit a divider around 5am on September 27 last year.The two new blackspots on NH-248A are near Vatika Chowk and Airia Mall. Sector 31 emerged as the deadliest blackspot in the latest audit, with 10 fatalities in three accidents over the three-year period, followed by Binola flyover (nine deaths in 16 accidents) and Manesar (eight deaths in 24 accidents across its three blackspots).Head constable Ran Singh, a blackspot expert with traffic police, said 74 people lost their lives in 142 accidents across the 22 blackspots, spread over 17 locations.“We are already working to remove a few more blackspots by taking adequate measures. We expect the number to reduce further soon,” he said.Among the 16 rectified locations are three blackspots along a 500-metre stretch near Ambience Mall, two near Manesar bus stand, and one each near Kapriwas Chowk, Raman Munjal University/Mannat Hotel, Rathiwas, Bilaspur Chowk, Industrial Area Binola, NSG/Ghati Manesar, Narsinghpur, Khandsa FOB, Beri Wala Bagh, Atlas FOB and Shankar Chowk — all on Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway.Police attributed the improvement to a mix of engineering upgrades and stricter enforcement.Floodlights were installed at a blackspot in Pachgaon where poor visibility had contributed to accidents, while National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) put up three-foot-high railings and grilles along the expressway to stop pedestrians from crossing the main and fast carriageways.Warning boards, rumble strips, reflectors and crash barriers were also added at vulnerable stretches, alongside increased police deployment.“There were a few gaps between the railings that were either closed or protected with additional safety measures. We also installed speed-calming measures, warning boards, rumble strips, lights, reflectors and crash barriers wherever required. We have recently studied three blackspots — Sector 31, Pachgaon and Fauji Dhaba — and are also analysing accident-prone locations beyond the national highways,” said DCP (traffic) Prateek Gaholot.
