India’s roads are full of surprises, exciting and scary at the same time. For some dangerous roads are adventurous but for some it’s a hurdle, especially truck drivers. Truck drivers in India face a range of challenges when transporting goods to destinations with diverse weather and landscape conditions. From desert regions to mountainous areas and coastal regions, the country has a wide range of climates and terrain that can make transportation difficult. Overall, the task of ensuring timely delivery of goods to various destinations within India can be challenging for truck drivers due to dangerous road in India.
Table of Contents
Here are the list of the top 10 most dangerous roads in India
- National Highway 22 (Himachal Pradesh)
- Leh-Manali Highway
- Zoji La Pass
- Rohtang Pass
- Mumbai-Pune Expressway
- Khardung La Pass
- Munnar Road
- Kinnaur Road
- Kotdwar – Dehradun bypass
- Nathu La Pass
- Jammu Srinagar Highway
Below listed are the some of the most dangerous road in India:
1. National Highway 22 (Himachal Pradesh)
National Highway 22, also known as one of the “World’s most dangerous routes” runs from Ambala through Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh to Khab on the Indo-Tibet border. Along this journey, travelers will be treated to a feast for the eyes with breathtaking mountain views, including rivers, temples, high cliffs, and tunnels. However, due to numerous twists and turns, it makes this highway a dangerous road in India. National Highway 22 was also mentioned in the History Channel’s “IRT Deadliest Roads” TV series
Obstacles
No railings, the road gets narrower, the bends gets sharper at most places unpredictable, high cliffs and poorly maintained road.
2. Leh-Manali Highway
The Ladakh to Manali highway is a challenging 458 KM stretch in northern India that is only open from May to October due to snowfall blocking the high passes. This two-lane highway runs from Ladhak, Jammu Kashmir and Manali in Himachal Pradesh with some stretches lacking a road divider, requires skilled and experienced driving to navigate the numerous bridges, narrow lanes and streams including fast-flowing ones without bridges. The highway offers stunning views of nature, but also comes with a risk of danger.
Obstacles
Slippery and slushy road due to rain and snow that leads to landslides and traffic jams, narrow lanes, ice-cold streams, numerous Bailey bridges.
3. Zoji La Pass
Zoji La Pass, but passing this Pass is not a piece of cake it’s at an altitude of approximately 3,528 meters above sea level connecting Ladhak to Kashmir, one single misbalance or wrong judgement will take you back to the sea level don’t know alive or not. Usually, this road is occupied by oil tankers and other type of trucks. This highway is also closed during winters due to heavy snowfall.
Obstacles
Frightfully narrow and covered in snow slush all around the season, high winds, excessive snowfall.
4. Rohtang Pass
Rohtang Pass is a mountain Pass located at an elevation of 3,980 meters on the eastern end of the Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayas. It connects Manali to the Kulu Valley and the Lahaul and Spiti Valleys. The road is frequently used by truck drivers transporting construction materials and daily necessities to the people living in the region, making it a vital lifeline for the local community.
Obstacles
Traffic congestion, heavy snow falls and rain with continuous sliding of hills, dangerous bends and curves, sludge roads
5. Mumbai-Pune Expressway
Mumbai-Pune Expressway known as one of the “Busiest roads of India”. Its India’s first six-lanes concrete road featuring five interchanges. The highway is 94.5 km long connecting the capital city Mumbai to the financial capital Pune and this highway also serves as a crucial link between the cities of Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur, Belgaum, Hubli and Bangalore to Mumbai facilitating transport of cargo to these regions.
Obstacles
Road accidents attributed to human errors (In the first 10 years since its opening, there were 1,758 accidents with more than 400 fatalities), large volume of traffic, Heavy landslides and frequent robberies.
6. Khardung La Pass
Khardung La Pass it is one the “World’s highest motorable road” with an elevation of 5,359 m (17,582 ft). The pass is on Ladakh range connecting Ladakh and Kashmir. It also forms a gateway to Nubra Valley, beyond which lies the Siachen Glacier. The pass is strategically important to India as it is used to carry supplies to the Siachen Glacier. The highway remains closed annually from October to May due to severe weather conditions.
Obstacles
The roads are slippery due to the frozen ice, altitude sickness is a serious health concern, traffic congestion on narrow one-lane sections, washouts, landslides and road accidents.
7. Munnar Road
The winding and twisty Munnar road, is located in the Idukki district of Kerala and travels through the western ghats, reaching an elevation of 1700 meters at its highest point. The road is surrounded by beautiful tea estates, while the smell of tea captures your attention at the same time driving in this road is not everyone’s cup of tea. It can be challenging to navigate, especially for inexperienced drivers. Only skilled drivers should attempt to drive.
Obstacles
Sharp steep with narrow zigzag turns, the road is dark at some places, Fog starts approaching during nights making the vision blind even with the lamps on.
8. Kinnaur Road
The Kinnaur road in Himachal Pradesh is a treacherous and dangerous road in India, particularly for heavy vehicles. It winds through the Baspa River gorge in the Kinnaur district. Passing over wobbly suspension bridges and cutting through hard rock cliffs will make any driver bite their nails. One particularly dangerous section is known as the Taranda “Dhank” which features a steep, vertical drop down to the Satluj River. Drivers, especially those operating heavy vehicles, must be alert and careful at all times.
Obstacles
Roads are narrow and deadly, heavy snowfall blocks the way annually from October to May, frequent landslides, mountain edges look a lot more jagged and you will encounter streams, waterfalls, ice and/or boulders.
9. Kotdwar – Dehradun bypass
The Kinnaur road in Himachal Pradesh is a treacherous and dangerous road in India, particularly for heavy vehicles. It winds through the Baspa River gorge in the Kinnaur district. Passing over wobbly suspension bridges and cutting through hard rock cliffs will make any driver bite their nails. One particularly dangerous section is known as the Taranda “Dhank” which features a steep, vertical drop down to the Satluj River. Drivers, especially those operating heavy vehicles, must be alert and careful at all times.
Obstacles
Mountain region features dangerous bends that require careful handling, the road can become congested due to its popularity with tourist, Careful steering and control is necessary to safely navigate the road.
10. Nathu La Pass
Nathu La is a mountain pass located in the Himalayan peaks that connects Sikkim and China. It is situated at an elevation of 14,450 feet above sea level on the Indo-Tibetan border and is one of the “Highest motorable roads in the world”. Nathu La is one of the three open trading border posts between India and China and is known for its stunning beauty and low temperatures. The name “Nathu” means “Listening ears” and “La” means “Pass.”.
Obstacles
Extremely dangerous heavy snowfall occurs during the winter months, Landslides are common during the monsoon season, there is a lack of infrastructure including access to water and resting places.
11. Jammu Srinagar Highway
The highway that connects Srinagar and Jammu is a crucial road link that allows access to the Kashmir Valley from the rest of India. It is located in the northernmost segment of NH44 and is vital for the transport of essential goods, including food grains, to the region. Traffic on the highway is monitored by control rooms in both Srinagar and Jammu. However, the road is closed for six months due to heavy snowfall.
Obstacles
High alert zone due to terrorist activities, landslides and avalanches.
If you are interested in exploring the most dangerous roads in the world you can refer to this article!
Conclusion
There are many dangerous road in India that can be challenging to navigate, particularly for heavy vehicles like trucks. These roads are often a combination of breathtaking beauty and potential danger. To safely drive on these routes, it is essential for drivers to have a good understanding of the road conditions and possess the necessary driving skills and judgment.
Vaishnavi M
I am an HR by profession and a fervent writer at heart. My passion for writing and reading has been an intrinsic part of who I am. I take immense pleasure in sharing my thoughts and the detailed information of the logistics industry through my blogs. Previously in my college days I have published articles on ISBNs. Additionally, my writing ventures have extended to covering topics on Human Resource Management and Trucking and transportation Management reaching international and Indian audiences.
