A Ranchi-Patna highway traffic jam through Koderma Valley stranded thousands of passengers for nearly 15 hours after heavy vehicles broke down at two locations, with potholes and damaged road shoulders preventing traffic from moving around them.
The disruption began around 9 am on Sunday near Nawa Mile, where a trailer and a truck reportedly broke down. Traffic was partially restored, but the situation deteriorated around 4 pm when another truck suffered a tyre burst near Jamsoti nullah.
The stranded truck blocked the narrow, damaged stretch, while deep potholes and broken shoulders left little space for other vehicles to pass. Long queues formed in both directions, leaving passengers and goods vehicles trapped overnight on the highway.
According to the report, women, children and elderly passengers faced difficulty obtaining food and drinking water during the prolonged stoppage. Some motorists attempted to avoid the congestion by taking alternate routes through Gaya and Barhi.
Koderma police, led by officer in-charge Arvind Kumar, worked through the night to clear the road. Cranes were deployed to remove the stranded vehicles, and police arranged water and snacks for commuters. Traffic was first allowed to move through a single lane before normal movement resumed at around 7 to 8 am on Monday.
Kumar said the deteriorated condition of the highway had contributed significantly to the disruption. The incident highlights how a vehicle breakdown can become a prolonged mobility crisis when a highway has narrow sections, damaged surfaces and inadequate space for emergency manoeuvring.
Residents told the Times of India that recurring traffic snarls in the valley stretch could be prevented only through comprehensive repairs. They also urged the National Highways Authority of India to improve the road and establish a faster response mechanism for breakdowns involving heavy vehicles.
The report said NHAI officials could not be contacted for comment. The immediate clearance operation restored traffic, but repairs to the damaged highway stretch and any formal response from the highway authority remain pending.
