Traffic congestion remains a persistent issue within the Darrah gorge nestled amid the Mukundara Hills along the Jhalawar National Highway. Although a tunnel was constructed alongside an eight-lane infrastructure project, the failure to fully open both of its portals leaves traffic heavily dependent on an old and narrow railway underpass. Consequently, even a minor mechanical breakdown or a stalled vehicle triggers miles-long traffic gridlocks on the highway. Stranded commuters, motorists, and ambulances carrying critical patients frequently find themselves trapped in these severe bottlenecks, prompting urgent appeals from travelers to immediately operationalize both tubes of the tunnel.
The Bottleneck at the Old Underpass
Detailing the ground situation, police constable Ajit Singh, who was managing traffic at the spot, explained that a heavy vehicle loaded with stones suddenly broke down right near the railway underpass due to a mechanical failure. Because the passage is exceptionally narrow, clearing the obstruction took a considerable amount of time. Compounding the problem, the presence of potholes on the road during the rainy season, combined with the constant heavy vehicular movement throughout the day, rapidly escalated the congestion. Police personnel had to struggle immensely to slowly restore normal movement.
Sharing their frustration, Kota resident and passenger Divyansh Pandey along with traveler Gaurav Tiwari pointed out that the general public is being deprived of relief despite the completion of the Darrah tunnel. They noted that while the tunnel and underpass were built at a cost of crores of rupees under the eight-lane initiative, the second route and full lanes of the tunnel remain non-functional for regular traffic. Restricting transit to a single side forces heavy vehicles to continue navigating the old and constricted path.
A Grave Risk for Ambulances and Critical Patients
Local residents and commuters highlighted that ambulances transporting critically ill patients from Jhalawar, Baran, and border districts of Madhya Pradesh frequently travel this route to reach major hospitals in Kota. The daily traffic jams in the Darrah gorge regularly disrupt emergency services, putting patients lives in extreme jeopardy. Travelers and local citizens have strongly urged the state government and the National Highway Authority (NHAI) to swiftly finish the technical and repair works on both approaches and fully open the twin tunnels to permanently rid the region of these recurrent blockages.
