Monsoon damages 143 km of National Highway stretches across 20 states; over 32,000 NH road deaths in 2026
The southwest monsoon has caused significant damage to stretches of national highways and national expressways across 20 states and Union territories. Over 32,000 NH road fatalities have already been recorded in the first seven months of 2026.
During the 2026 southwest monsoon season, 143 kilometers of national highways and expressways were significantly damaged across 20 states and Union territories, according to Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari. Himachal Pradesh suffered the most extensive damage at 27,221 meters, followed by Chhattisgarh with 21,390 meters and Maharashtra with 13,338 meters.
The monsoon's impact was felt across the country, with Uttarakhand recording damage on 13,126 meters of highway stretches, Jammu and Kashmir with 10,115 meters, and Arunachal Pradesh and Assam reporting 8,965 meters and 8,325 meters, respectively. Gujarat, Odisha, West Bengal, Mizoram, Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Kerala, Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura, Telangana, Meghalaya, and Karnataka also reported significant damage to their national highways.
The southwest monsoon has resulted in over 32,000 fatalities and 89,560 injuries on national highways between January and July 2026, as per data presented by Gadkari in Parliament.
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