NH-48 Traffic Issues Near Vadodara Prompt Official Review

Officials from multiple departments, including the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the Vadodara City Police, and the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC), conducted a joint inspection of a severely congested stretch of National Highway 48 (NH-48) on Tuesday. The 15-kilometre section between Bamangam in Karjan and Jambuva on the outskirts of Vadodara has been witnessing relentless traffic jams for over two weeks—at times lasting 24 hours.

The inspection comes in response to increasing public frustration and logistical setbacks caused by prolonged vehicular queues, especially involving multi-axle freight trucks. Vadodara Police Commissioner Narasimha Komar, NHAI officials, engineers from the Roads and Buildings (R&B) Department, and Regional Transport Office (RTO) representatives participated in the review.

Speaking to the press after the site visit, Commissioner Komar said, “This stretch is part of a key economic corridor. Heavy commercial traffic, including multi-axle vehicles, regularly moves through it. Due to rain-induced potholes and occasional vehicle breakdowns, the flow of traffic slows down, creating a cascading effect that results in long queues. We’re working on a temporary traffic management solution while NHAI continues work on a long-term fix.”

Officials identified five key bridges—Vishwamitri, Jambuva, Por, Bamangam (all in Vadodara district), and Bhukhi Khadi in Bharuch district—as primary bottlenecks. These bridges, constructed as four-lane structures when the highway was last widened in 2008, now cause bottlenecks on an otherwise six-lane highway.

Anuj Sharma, Project Director at NHAI, told The Indian Express that the widening of these five bridges began in January 2025 and is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. “Traffic slows down at these points not only during monsoons but year-round, due to the mismatch in road width,” Sharma explained.

While the long-term bridge-widening work is underway, local authorities are now focused on designing and implementing short-term strategies. These include improved traffic diversion planning, round-the-clock police management, removal of stalled vehicles in real-time, and rapid repair of potholes where feasible.

Commissioner Komar emphasized inter-agency coordination, stating that the traffic police, NHAI engineers, and civic authorities would jointly monitor congestion hotspots and deploy resources accordingly. “Short-term engineering measures and strict traffic control will be implemented immediately,” he added.

Impact on Commuters and Goods Transport

The NH-48 corridor is a critical link between Ahmedabad and Mumbai, two major urban and economic centres. Regular commuters, transport operators, and logistics companies have reported significant delays and economic losses due to the persistent congestion.

Transporters have expressed concern about fuel wastage, delayed deliveries, and mechanical wear and tear caused by stop-and-go traffic conditions. Some drivers have reported being stuck for more than 12 hours on a single trip.

Larger Infrastructure Context

This traffic crisis comes at a time when broader questions are being raised about the structural quality and capacity planning of India’s highway infrastructure. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has set ambitious targets for network expansion, but incidents such as these raise questions about the balance between speed of execution and long-term planning.

With the bridge-widening project still over a year from completion, the effectiveness of the interim measures will be crucial in restoring normalcy and maintaining the highway’s function as a key freight corridor.