'Daily collisions don’t shock anyone’: Why locals call Hyderabad-Chevella stretch a ‘death corridor’ that killed 19; 280 dead since 2018

HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad-Chevella stretch of NH-163 is grimly referred to by locals as a ‘death corridor’, and recent accidents have only reinforced the label.Official data and local accounts reveal that between 2018 and December 2024, at least 280 people have died in accidents on this stretch.The 100-km highway, which winds through Chevella, Manneguda, Vikarabad, and Kodangal, is narrow, riddled with blind turns, and lacks road dividers. Its crumbling surface and absence of crash barriers or reflectors make it extremely hazardous. According to EMRI (108 ambulance) staff, the stretch records six to seven accidents every single day, claiming hundreds of lives over the years.

The dangers are ongoing. Barely hours after Monday’s fatal crash that killed 19 people, two men on a bike collided near Tolkatta in Moinabad mandal while attempting to overtake a lorry, leaving both injured.

During Dasara, a father-daughter duo died in front of the Chevella police station after being hit by a lorry.“Every day we respond to at least seven emergency calls from this stretch,” said S Sangameshwar, an EMRI ambulance driver stationed in Chevella. “At night, the potholes and broken patches are invisible. Many smaller accidents go unreported because victims just move on.”Doctors at the government hospital in Chevella, where victims of Monday’s crash were taken, confirmed the constant strain on medical services.

“We get three to four accident cases a day,” said Dr Rajendra Prasad, hospital superintendent. “Others are shifted to Vikarabad or Hyderabad depending on the severity.”Locals have repeatedly appealed to authorities to widen and repair the road, but their pleas have largely gone unanswered. “Everyone knows this is the most dangerous highway in Telangana. For years, we’ve written to officials to fix it, but they blame delays on clearances and environmental objections,” said Shaik Alam Pasha, a resident of Vikarabad.Several residents also blamed activists who stalled road expansion through the National Green Tribunal to protect trees. “They saved trees, but people keep dying. How is that fair? When other highways are being widened, why is this one – carrying thousands of vehicles daily – left untouched?” asked P Narsimhulu from Aloor village.Locals recalled that the road was a single lane until 25 years ago, when it was widened to two lanes.

Since then, traffic has exploded, but safety measures haven’t kept pace. “Now, only major crashes make news. The rest – the daily collisions, the bruised and broken – don’t even shock anyone anymore,” Narsimhulu added.With narrow lanes, blind turns, crumbling surfaces, and minimal safety infrastructure, the Hyderabad-Chevella stretch of NH-163 remains a perilous route, claiming lives almost every day despite repeated warnings from residents and emergency responders alike.