Dense winter fog disrupted travel and triggered major road accidents in Rewari district, Haryana, resulting in multiple injuries and heightened safety concerns on a crucial highway. The pile-up involved several buses on National Highway 352D, which connects key urban centers and is vital for daily commuters, school routes, and commercial transport between Rewari and neighboring Jhajjar.
The collision occurred on a fog-laden Sunday morning when visibility dropped drastically due to extreme weather conditions—a common seasonal challenge in northern India during winter months. Fog can reduce visibility to near-zero levels, turning highways into perilous stretches where split-second reactions determine life or death.
According to initial reports from local authorities and emergency responders, multiple vehicles were travelling along the stretch when the first collision triggered a chain reaction. Because visibility was so limited, following drivers were unable to respond in time, resulting in a large-scale pile-up involving several buses. Many of these buses were reportedly en route to routine morning destinations, carrying passengers ranging from daily commuters to local residents.
In the immediate aftermath, injured passengers were rushed to nearby hospitals in Rewari and adjoining towns. While authorities have yet to confirm the total number of casualties, eyewitness accounts indicated a chaotic scene with passengers shaken, roads blocked, and emergency personnel struggling to manage both traffic and care.
Local police have launched a formal investigation to understand the sequence of events and to determine whether speeding, lack of fog lights, or driver fatigue might have contributed alongside the severe weather. Authorities have also emphasized existing challenges in enforcing speed limits and advising drivers to use fog lamps and maintain safe distance during low-visibility conditions.
Seasonal Fog: A Recurring Threat
Haryana, like many parts of the North Indian plains, frequently experiences dense ground fog in winter, which poses significant risks to motorists. The combination of agricultural stubble burning in surrounding states and cold climatic conditions contributes to suspended particulate matter that amplifies fog density, further reducing sight lines on high-speed routes.
Road safety experts stress that traditional cautionary measures—like reduced speed limits and reflective signage—are often insufficient without real-time alerts and proactive traffic management. They advocate for intelligent transport systems, variable message signboards linked to weather data, and coordinated advisories during peak fog months.
Response and Immediate Measures
In response to the Rewari accident, district authorities have:
- Deployed additional ambulances and emergency response teams to support injured passengers and clear the wreckage.
- Instructed traffic police to intensify patrols along fog-affected stretches of the highway.
- Issued public safety advisories urging drivers to maintain low speeds, use fog lamps, avoid overtaking, and minimize travel during peak fog hours in early morning and late evening.
Local hospitals have also been placed on standby for influxes of accident victims as cooler temperatures persist and fog conditions deepen over the coming weeks.
Long-Term Safety Imperatives
Beyond immediate relief efforts, experts say that recurrent fog-related accidents call for infrastructure upgrades and policy interventions. Suggestions include:
- Roadside fog detection systems with connected electronic warnings for approaching vehicles.
- Mandatory installation of fog lights and reflective markers on commercial vehicles, especially buses and trucks.
- Real-time weather–transport coordination between meteorological departments and traffic control centers to issue dynamic safety alerts.
Community Impact and Broader Concerns
The Rewari accident has reverberated across neighboring districts, reminding communities of the fragile balance between seasonal weather and everyday mobility. For families dependent on public transport, such incidents underscore deeper anxieties about travel safety, particularly for schoolchildren and elderly passengers.
As Haryana grapples with these challenges, the need for multi-stakeholder approaches—involving government agencies, transport associations, emergency services, and citizen groups—becomes increasingly clear.
