- Union Minister Nitin Gadkari will inspect Delhi-Mumbai Expressway safety and construction
- His visit follows a deadly July 1 bus-truck crash near Dausa causing eight deaths
- Accidents on the expressway claimed 35 lives in 2025 and 26 till June 2026
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari's road trip from Delhi to Kota via Dausa on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway has become a talking point, especially as it comes just a week after a horrific accident on the highway that left eight people dead and 28 injured.
According to National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials, Gadkari will travel by road from Delhi and proceed towards Kota-Ratlam through the expressway.
He is expected to pass through Dausa district at around 2:00 pm today, where he may visit the site of the July 1 fire incident.
During the inspection, the minister is likely to review the condition and maintenance of the expressway, ongoing construction work, safety measures, and arrangements at the Dara Tunnel in Mukundara Hills near Kota. The inspection will also extend to sections of the expressway in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.
Following the announcement of Gadkari's visit, NHAI officials and other concerned departments have begun preparations along the expressway. Authorities are reviewing safety arrangements and other facilities ahead of the minister's inspection.
After Dausa, Gadkari will travel to the Mukundra Tunnel project near Kota. He is expected to reach the tunnel at around 5:30 pm.
He will review the progress of the tunnel construction and the expressway project and hold a meeting with NHAI and other officials.
Gadkari's visit comes just days after a horrific road accident on July 1, when a bus travelling from Haridwar to Indore crashed into a truck at around 2:30 am. Eight people were killed and 28 others were seriously injured.
The accident took place near Dhanawda village, close to Zero Point, under the jurisdiction of the Kolwa Police Station in Rajasthan's Dausa district. A speeding bus rammed into the rear of a moving trailer truck before plunging into a roadside gorge and bursting into flames.
However, this was not an isolated incident.
In the Dausa section of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, 33 road accidents were reported in 2025, claiming 35 lives. In 2026, till the end of June, 24 accidents had already claimed 26 lives.
What Preliminary Findings Suggest
A preliminary review of the July 1 accident suggests that the truck involved was supposed to take the Jaipur-Ajmer exit.
However, at Zero Point, where the turn is located, Jaipur-Ajmer was not clearly marked.
After missing the exit, the truck slowed down. The Haridwar-Indore bus coming from behind then rammed into it.
Sources told NDTV that vehicles approaching from the Delhi side often get confused while taking the Jaipur 4C Link Expressway because there is no directional arrow or signboard at Zero Point. Many drivers overshoot the exit and then suddenly slow down to return. Some vehicles have even been seen reversing there, posing a serious safety risk.
Although signboards have been installed nearly two kilometres before the exit, the arrows on them are too small to be read easily at highway speeds. The recent crash that killed eight people also took place at this very location.
Officials say the problem is not confined to Zero Point. At several locations on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, signage and direction indicators are unclear.
Drivers heading to Jaipur have two route options, one via Dausa and the other via Kanota. However, there are no clear signs informing motorists whether a particular exit leads to Jaipur via Dausa or Jaipur via Kanota.
The Rajasthan Chief Secretary has already held two important meetings on the issue.
Following the July 1 accident, temporary encroachments along the expressway were removed under the supervision of IG Rahul Prakash.
Speaking to NDTV, IG Rahul Prakash said, "All temporary encroachments from Alwar to Dausa have been removed because they pose a road safety risk. However, the exact cause of the July 1 accident will only be known after the investigation is complete."
Probe Underway Into Safety Lapses
Following the deadly crash, the Dausa district administration formed a committee to identify the issues affecting safety on this stretch of the expressway.
Acting on the directions of District Collector Soumya Jha, the District Road Safety Task Force carried out a detailed review of safety measures on the expressway.
Committee member Vishnu Sharma said an eight-member inquiry committee headed by the Additional District Collector has been formed. The team will inspect Packages 6, 7 and 8 between chainage 150 km and 240 km on July 8 and 9.
The preliminary inspection identified a number of shortcomings that could be contributing to road accidents.
Many SOS phones installed on the expressway were found to be non-functional. Direction signs and arrows at several locations were unclear. Lapses were also found in monitoring speeding vehicles and enforcing speed-limit violations.
The inquiry has also concluded that the absence of proper signboards at Zero Point is increasing the risk of accidents.
The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway is one of NHAI's flagship projects. The government's seriousness about the issue is evident from the fact that the minister himself is now carrying out a road inspection of the corridor.
