Tanda Forest Road Crash: 2 Die in Haldwani

Q: How many people were injured?

4 people were injured and taken to hospital after a passer by alerted police.

Q: What safety problems have been identified on the route?

The concerns include dark stretches, the dangerous S turn, speeding, wildlife movement and weak mobile network coverage.

Tanda forest road deaths expose safety gaps as Haldwani’s blind S-turn claims 2 more lives

The deaths of VDO Saurabh Bisht and Raju Gupta in a head-on motorcycle crash have renewed concerns about safety on the Tanda forest road near Haldwani. Residents and commuters face darkness, speeding vehicles, a dangerous S-turn, wildlife movement and weak mobile connectivity, while emergency response can be delayed.

Editor: Khatima News Published: 03 Nov 2026, 10:42 AM Updated: 03 Nov 2026, 10:42 AM

Image- AI generated

Tanda forest road deaths expose safety gaps as Haldwani’s blind S-turn claims 2 more lives.

HALDWANI: The deaths of VDO Saurabh Bisht and Raju Gupta in a head-on motorcycle collision on Monday night have renewed concerns about safety on the Tanda forest road. The route carries thousands of vehicles, but several sections remain without street lighting and the dangerous S-turn has limited visibility for drivers approaching from the opposite direction.

The road also passes through forest areas where wildlife movement is reported. High speeds, darkness and the absence of adequate speed-control measures have increased concern among regular commuters. The latest crash has again raised questions about whether the authorities have done enough to protect people using the route at night.

2 deaths and 4 injuries

The collision took place at the S-turn on Monday night. Saurabh Bisht and Raju Gupta died, while 4 other people were injured. Police reached the location after a passer-by reported the crash and sent the injured people to hospital.

Bisht had become a Village Development Officer one year earlier and was the only son in his family. Gupta’s niece Bhavna was due to get married on 15 November, and preparations were under way when his death turned the family’s celebration into mourning.

Relatives gathered at the hospital after receiving the news. Family members wept beside the bodies, adding to the grief caused by an accident that has affected 2 households.

5 Tanda road crashes since January

5 accidents resulting in 10 deaths have been reported on the Tanda forest route from January 2026 until the period covered by the report. The incidents include head-on vehicle collisions and crashes involving wildlife.

Despite the repeated fatalities, no major change in road-safety arrangements is visible along the route. The concerns include the absence of lighting across dark stretches, limited visibility at the S-turn, a lack of effective speed-control arrangements and insufficient protection for motorists on a wildlife corridor.

Mobile connectivity is another challenge. Network coverage is weak at several points through the forest, making it difficult for witnesses to contact police or an ambulance quickly after a crash. The first hour after a serious road accident is considered critical for treatment, but delays in reporting can reduce the time available for emergency care.

Wider rise in Haldwani-area road deaths

The report also points to a wider road-safety problem in the district. Road crashes were reported to have increased by up to 10% in 2026 compared with 2025. A Central Road Safety Committee report that emerged in September said accidents attributed to overspeeding had increased by 28.1% across the state.

Departments associated with the road-safety committee had identified 419 hotspots across the state. Records showed 1289 crashes in 2025, while the figure had reached 1480 by August 2026.

Between 15 September and 2 November, 8 major road crashes reportedly killed 13 people. The incidents included the Threepani flyover crash on 23 October, when a speeding car hit a divider and overturned, killing 3 teenagers.

Other reported fatalities during the period included 13-year-old Kapil Maurya, who died after a motorcycle collision in Kathghरिया on 24 September, and 14-year-old Prerna, who was killed by a dumper in Halduchaur on 1 October. On 3 October, an unidentified vehicle struck 55-year-old Kishan Chaudhary while he was crossing the road in Beriparाव.

Anand Singh Pawar, travelling on a scooter, died in a road crash in the Lalkuan area on 4 October. 2 young men were also killed in a collision between a canter and a scooter in Subhash Nagar.

Questions over permanent safety measures

The latest crash has intensified demands for clear action on the Tanda forest road. The key issues requiring answers include:

Why have street lights not been installed along the dark sections?
What speed-control measures are planned at the S-turn?
How will drivers be protected on a route used by wildlife?
When will mobile connectivity and emergency communication improve?
What permanent safety measures will follow after 5 crashes and 10 deaths?

Conclusion

The deaths of Saurabh Bisht and Raju Gupta have brought renewed attention to the Tanda forest road’s darkness, blind S-turn, speeding risks, wildlife movement and weak network coverage. The immediate safety concerns remain unresolved in the available report.