‘Death trap’ on NH-48: Parsi community flags Dahisar–Talasari stretch to Gadkari
Published 09 Sep 2025, 7:08 PM IST
The Bombay Parsi Punchayat (BPP) has written to Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari about dangerous driving conditions on NH-48 between Dahisar and Talasari, calling it a “death trap.” The complaint asks for urgent fixes and enforcement.
Key Points
- Community escalation: Mumbai’s Parsi community, through the BPP, has formally complained to the Centre, citing frequent accidents and unsafe work zones on NH-48. The demand: repair bad patches, manage work sites better, add signs and barriers, and ensure strict policing against wrong-side driving.
- Where exactly: The focus is the Achhad (Maha–Guj) border to Dahisar section that passes through Palghar district. This is the same Mumbai–Ahmedabad corridor used daily by thousands of commuters and inter-city travelers.
How long has this stretch been bad?
Since at least late 2023, with problems visible through 2024 and 2025. A ₹533–553 crore white-topping (concretization) project on the 121 km Achhad–Dahisar section began after October–December 2023 awards. Through May–June 2024, reports documented chaotic diversions, poor signage, and wrong-side driving. In July 2025, the state told the Assembly that even newly laid sections showed potholes and tyre marks, that the contractor was penalized for delays, and that work was ~98% complete but repairs continued. Safety fixes were also proposed at the Cyrus Mistry crash site.
After the Sept 2022 Cyrus Mistry accident on this corridor, scrutiny of NH-48 rose sharply, and calls for engineering and enforcement improvements have persisted since.
Why people are angry
Unsafe work zones: Commuters report sudden lane shifts, missing cones or reflectors at night, and uneven joints between old asphalt and new concrete. That raises crash risk, especially in rain.
Delays and jams: Long bottlenecks and confusing diversions have doubled travel time for many users, according to multiple on-ground reports from 2024.
Accident toll: Over 30 deaths on the Mumbai–Ahmedabad NH-48 were recorded Jan–Jun 2025, according to a statement in the Assembly. Nationwide, highway deaths remain a major concern.
What authorities say and plan
Repair and finish pending work: The state said repairs are ongoing where the new concrete developed issues, and three underpasses and ten FOBs are being added for safety. A contractor was debarred for three months in April 2025 for delay.
Spot-specific fixes: After the ₹600-crore overhaul, the Mistry crash site is to be marked go-slow and no-overtaking, with more speed calming and signage.
Sources
Times of India: BPP letter to Gadkari on “death trap” conditions on NH-48. Source
Mid-Day/HT reports (background): white-topping project details, chaotic diversions and signage issues in 2024, and planned completion. Source
TOI Assembly coverage: 30+ deaths on NH-48 in Jan–Jun 2025, repairs in progress, contractor debarment, 3 underpasses + 10 FOBs, ~98% work status. Source
TOI update: new go-slow/no-overtaking zone at the Mistry crash site after overhaul. Source
Global/National context: national highway deaths remain high; policy focus on reducing fatalities. Source
