Massive 65-km traffic jam on Delhi-Kolkata highway, vehicles reportedly stuck for four days, here's why

A massive traffic jam has brought the Delhi-Kolkata Highway (NH-19) to a near standstill, with hundreds of vehicles reportedly stuck for almost four days. Vehicles are lined up bumper-to-bumper, with no sign of relief since the congestion began.

The chaos followed heavy rainfall in Bihar’s Rohtas district last Friday, which flooded service lanes and diversions constructed as part of a six-lane expansion project on National Highway 19. According to NDTV, the torrential downpour created extensive waterlogging, potholes, and areas of slush, making sections of the highway nearly impassable.

The disruption has transformed a once-busy highway into a long stretch of stagnant traffic. Trucks, in particular, are struggling to maintain stability on the slick, waterlogged roads, with the jam reportedly extending as far as Aurangabad, some 65 kilometres from Rohtas.

Commuters and truck drivers have expressed frustration over the lack of intervention by authorities. Neither the construction company responsible for the six-lane project nor the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) appear to have taken steps to ease the congestion.

“In the past 30 hours, we have travelled only seven kilometres. We pay tolls and taxes, yet we are stuck here with no help. There are no NHAI officials or local authorities on the ground,” one truck driver told NDTV.

Another driver, stranded for two days, said: “We are hungry and thirsty. Even moving a few kilometres takes hours.”

The jam has created widespread disruption, affecting drivers transporting perishable goods and delaying emergency services, including ambulances. Pedestrians and tourists are also facing severe hardships, with many vehicles stranded without access to food, water, or rest facilities.

As the traffic situation continues, authorities face mounting pressure to restore the flow of vehicles and provide relief to those stranded along one of India’s busiest highways.