New Delhi, Dec. 13 -- More than a dozen vehicles, including cars and trucks, were involved in a major pile-up on an expressway in the Delhi-NCR region on Saturday morning, as dense fog and smog severely reduced visibility. The accident led to long traffic snarls and left several people injured, officials said.
The collision occurred on the Eastern Peripheral Expressway, also known as the Kundli-Ghaziabad-Palwal (KGP) Expressway - a 135-km-long, six-lane corridor that passes through Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Poor visibility due to thick smog is believed to have caused vehicles to ram into one another in quick succession.
Visuals from the accident site showed extensive damage. A white car was seen mounted on the central divider with its bonnet badly crushed, while a truck stood nearby. Another car appeared to be wedged under a truck, underscoring the severity of the collision. Several vehicles were scattered across lanes, indicating a chain reaction crash triggered by low visibility.
Police and toll management teams rushed to the spot and began clearing the damaged vehicles using cranes to restore traffic movement. The Gautam Buddh Nagar Police Commissionerate confirmed that police personnel were present at the scene and that an investigation was underway.
"In the said case, the police force is present at the scene, and necessary actions are being taken," the Police Commissionerate said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Authorities said details regarding the exact number of vehicles involved and the total number of injured persons were still being ascertained.
The accident came as residents of Delhi-NCR woke up to a thick blanket of smog on Saturday morning. Visibility across several stretches was poor, increasing the risk of road accidents. Noida Sector-125, located close to the expressway, recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 449 at noon - classified as 'severe' - according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
In view of the hazardous conditions, the Gautam Buddh Nagar Traffic Police issued revised speed guidelines across major roads and expressways. On the Yamuna Expressway, speed limits have been capped at 75 kmph for light vehicles and 60 kmph for heavy vehicles.
On the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway, light vehicles are permitted a maximum speed of 75 kmph, while heavy vehicles are restricted to 50 kmph. On the Noida elevated road, speed limits have been further reduced to 50 kmph for light vehicles and 40 kmph for heavy vehicles.
Traffic police have urged motorists to drive cautiously, maintain safe distances and avoid overspeeding until visibility improves.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.