Panic gripped commuters in Gurgaon on Monday evening after chunks of concrete and stones were hurled at vehicles passing through the busy Hero Honda Chowk underpass. The incident resulted in damage to several cars, including one with a completely shattered windscreen, and raised immediate alarm over public safety.
Traffic Chaos and Immediate Aftermath
Following the alarming incident, authorities took the decision to close the underpass from both sides as a precautionary measure. This closure on Tuesday led to massive traffic snarls on one of the city's most critical stretches, which connects key industrial hubs like Sector 37 and Kadipur with residential areas such as Sector 10 and Khandsa.
Commuters faced severe hardship during the morning peak hours, with reports of bumper-to-bumper congestion. The diversion of traffic to service roads caused vehicles to crawl. Motorists travelling between Umang Bhardwaj Chowk and Subhash Chowk experienced long delays, while those coming from Rajiv Chowk towards Sectors 34 and 10 were stuck at the junction for nearly half an hour.
"The entire stretch was completely choked this morning," said Sanjay Yadav, a resident of Sector 10A. "It took me nearly 40 minutes to cross Hero Honda Chowk, which usually takes less than 10 minutes from my home. Already, the stretch is in poor condition, and traffic was backed up till Sector 37 cut as it was barely moving."
Official Investigation and Cause
Videos of the damaged car quickly circulated on social media late Monday night, initially sparking fears about the underpass's structural integrity. In response, a joint team from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) conducted a site inspection on Tuesday morning.
However, NHAI officials swiftly clarified that the incident was not due to any structural failure. An NHAI official stated that "anti-social elements" were responsible for pelting broken tiles and stones into the underpass, creating a grave safety hazard. "Several cars were damaged, posing a grave risk of accidents and potential loss of life," the official said, confirming there was no damage to the underpass or the expressway structure itself.
Precedent and Preventive Measures
This is not the first time concerns have been raised about this infrastructure. In January 2023, NHAI engaged CRRI to conduct a structural audit of the flyover and underpass at Hero Honda Chowk, following the development of a depression on the elevated structure in May 2022.
In light of Monday's deliberate attack, the NHAI has urged authorities to identify and take strict action against those responsible. It has also called for increased police patrolling in the area to prevent any recurrence, treating the matter as a priority for public safety.
As a matter of abundant caution, the underpass was closed on the evening of January 5 in consultation with traffic police. After a detailed visual inspection by CRRI and further consultations, the underpass was reopened to traffic from 2 pm on Tuesday, bringing relief to the harried commuters of Gurgaon.
