Over 100 Maharashtra Residents Write to PM Modi Seeking Permission to Die Over NH-48 Chaos

Frustrated by the poor condition of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad national highway (NH-48), severe traffic congestion, and alleged administrative negligence, more than 100 residents from the Naigaon-Chinchoti-Vasai region have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking permission to die by suicide.

On Friday, residents from villages such as Sasunavghar, Maljipada, Sasupada, Bobat Pada, and Patharpada staged a protest along NH-48. They said what was once a one-hour commute has, over the past two months, turned into a five-to-six-hour ordeal.

“Dying would be better than living like this,” said Sushant Patil, an activist with a local NGO leading the protests.

In their letter to the prime minister, a copy of which is with HT, residents alleged gross negligence on the part of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and its project director. “Despite submitting multiple representations, no concrete action has been taken. We therefore strongly demand disciplinary action against these officials,” the letter stated.

Protesters blamed the worsening traffic on the pothole-ridden condition of the highway, poor traffic management, and the rising number of vehicles.

“The ordeal is unbearable,” said Patil. “Children have missed their exams, people have missed flights, and medical emergencies have become a nightmare. The nearest hospital is in Mira Road — what used to take 20 minutes now takes over three hours.”

Patil added that villagers would continue their protests until authorities respond. “We’ve been pleading for years, but our cries have fallen on deaf ears. The entire livelihood of our villages depends on NH-48,” he said.

The letter also accused authorities of ignoring a directive issued by the Mira-Bhayander and Vasai-Virar (MBVV) police commissionerate, which had prohibited the movement of heavy vehicles beyond Chinchoti Naka between October 11 and 14 due to ongoing repair work at Gaimukh Ghat on Ghodbunder Road in Thane. “Instead, a large number of heavy vehicles were allowed onto the highway, causing massive traffic jams and paralysing life in the Naigaon-Chinchoti region,” the residents alleged.

Following the protest, MBVV police commissioner Niket Kaushik issued a notification announcing the closure of the Chinchoti traffic branch and transferring highway traffic management duties to the Vasai and Virar branches.

In their letter, residents outlined five key demands (see graphic) and warned that continued inaction would leave them “with no option but to seek permission to die by suicide in protest against this gross negligence.”

HT reached out to the NHAI project director for comment but received no response.