A serious accident involving the son of a serving judge occurred on the service road of the Delhi-Meerut Expressway (DME) in Ghaziabad early Saturday morning. The car, a white Kia, overturned after the driver allegedly lost control, but he miraculously escaped with only minor injuries.
Details of the Ghaziabad Expressway Accident
The incident took place around 6 am near the Jal Nigam office in Siddharth Vihar. According to police, the vehicle was travelling from Delhi towards Vijay Nagar on the service lane when the driver suddenly swerved to avoid an oncoming vehicle. This action caused him to lose control of the car, which then hit a jersey barrier and flipped over.
The impact was severe, leaving the front section of the vehicle badly mangled and its windshield completely shattered. The overturned car, which bore a "judge" sticker on the windshield, remained on the road for several hours, drawing the attention of morning walkers and commuters.
Identity of Driver and Police Response
Police investigations revealed that the car is registered in the name of Judge Satya Nand Upadhyay, a resident of Raj Nagar Extension's Officer City who is currently posted at the district and sessions court in Varanasi. However, at the time of the accident, the vehicle was being driven by his son, Utkarsh Upadhyay. The family is based in Ghaziabad.
Utkarsh was alone in the car and sustained only superficial scratches in the crash. He received basic medical aid at the spot and left shortly afterwards. No formal complaint was filed in the case, as per police statements. A team from Vijay Nagar police station reached the site, arranged for a crane to remove the damaged vehicle, and restored normal traffic flow.
Alarming Rise in Accidents on Delhi-Meerut Expressway
This incident highlights a worrying trend on the busy expressway. Official data from the traffic department shows a dramatic increase in accidents. The number of accidents on DME surged by 95% last year, while fatalities rose by 19%.
Between January and November 30 of the reporting year, a total of 41 accidents were recorded on the expressway, resulting in 25 deaths and 39 injuries. In contrast, during the same period the previous year, there were 21 accidents, claiming 21 lives and injuring 37 people.
Officials have identified key factors behind this spike:
- Speeding by motorists.
- Wrong-side driving, a common and dangerous practice.
- Illegal parking on or near the highway.
Authorities also pointed to the removal of traffic personnel from expressway entry and exit points earlier this year as a contributing factor. Currently, the expressway is monitored primarily through a network of CCTV cameras installed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
