NH-22 turns accident hotspot, 88 fatal mishaps in a year

Gaya: NH-22 linking GT road with the state capital has become highly accident prone as traffic rules and MV Act provisions are being violated with impunity. Wrong side driving, overloading, speed limit violations, fun driving etc are said to be the contributory factors for the high incidence of road accidents on NH-22.The most severe accident took place in Sept 2025 when five businessmen were killed as their car rammed into a parked truck in Parsa Bazar police station area of Patna district.Though separate lanes with dividers are earmarked for road users, incidents of head-on collision are not uncommon. According to statistics compiled by Satish Das, former MLA from Makhdumpur constituency of Jehanabad district, in the last one year no less than 88 fatal accidents have taken place between Belaganj and Jahanabad alone. “The figures are mind boggling,” said the ex-MLA.Underage and licence-less drivers with overloads of sand and other construction material on tractor trolleys run riot on the all important highway, said the MLA. Little was being done to contain the accidents.A couple of months back, the state govt enforced complete ban on the plying of e-rickshaws on highways. But such e-rickshaws can be seen plying on NH-22.In view of the high incidence of accidents on the NH-22, the former MLA has demanded establishment of a trauma centre at a point.Conceding that traffic movement on NH-22 has its own shortcomings, Gaya Traffic DSP Sudhir Kumar said these shortcomings cannot be removed in one go.Both preventive and punitive measures are being taken to inculcate traffic sense and respect for rules among the road users. “It is a continuing process,” said the Gaya Traffic DSP. Three mobile units have been deployed for enforcing speed limit and the violators are being penalised. Awareness campaigns are also periodically launched for the purpose, he said.When contacted, DTO Rajesh Kumar said he needed specific inputs on the violation of rules, including the plying of e-rickshaws. Anyway, he will look into the matter, he said.