Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
A road cave-in after heavy rain in Uttar Pradesh’s Agra sparked an unusual protest on Friday, with Samajwadi Party leader Nitin Kohli climbing into the crater using a wooden ladder to “measure” the government’s vikas (development). The dramatic spectacle came as questions over the quality of road infrastructure continue to mount in the state, weeks after the newly inaugurated Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway developed cracks and sinking stretches.
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The cave-in occurred in Karmyogi Colony in Agra’s Kamla Nagar area, where a large section of the road suddenly collapsed, leaving behind a massive crater.
A video, now widely shared on social media, shows Kohli climbing down into the pit while two men steady the ladder. Standing inside the crater, he mocks the government’s development claims, saying, “Is this how development looks? Wherever roads have been built, there are potholes everywhere.” He also dubbed Agra “Gaddha Nagari” (city of potholes), instead of its popular moniker, the Taj city.
Residents described the gaping hole as a “path to the underworld” and blamed poor construction quality for the collapse, saying the rains had exposed glaring flaws in the city’s infrastructure. They also criticised civic authorities for inadequate monsoon preparedness and demanded immediate repairs.
Fortunately, no vehicle was passing through when the road gave way, narrowly averting a major accident. The incident triggered panic in the neighbourhood before officials, including the General Manager of the Jal Kal Department, reached the spot to inspect the damage. Authorities later cordoned off the affected stretch and began assessment and repair work.
INFRASTRUCTURE UNDER SCANNER
The Agra cave-in comes at a time when the quality of road infrastructure in Uttar Pradesh is already under intense scrutiny following damage to the newly inaugurated Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway.
Barely three weeks after its inauguration, parts of the Rs 4,200-crore expressway developed cracks, sinking and surface slippage, forcing authorities to dig up and reconstruct several stretches. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) removed three engineers associated with the project, initiated action against construction firm PNC Infratech and suspended toll collection across the entire expressway until repairs are completed.
SAME STRETCH REPAIRED AGAIN
According to NHAI officials, the initial damage in Unnao was confined to a 120-metre stretch, where around 100 metres of the bituminous surface was repaired, and another 20 metres was completely reconstructed.
However, the problem resurfaced. Suspecting water ingress into adjoining pavement layers, authorities decided to excavate and rebuild a much longer 300-metre stretch as a precaution. Minor slippages were later reported at several other locations, while continued rainfall led to erosion, settlement and crumbling surface material in multiple patches.
TRAFFIC HIT, SAFETY CONCERNS RISE
Repair work has disrupted traffic on the expressway, with vehicles travelling in both directions being routed along a single carriageway at several locations. Near the Unnao entry point, motorists have also been asked to take U-turns and briefly drive against the normal direction before joining the operational carriageway.
Damage has even been reported on the carriageway currently handling two-way traffic, prompting fresh repairs alongside moving vehicles. The situation has raised safety concerns on the expressway, which was designed for speeds of up to 120 kmph.
While NHAI has said the official speed limit remains unchanged, barricades, diversions and ongoing repair work have forced motorists to slow down, further fuelling questions over the quality and durability of recently built infrastructure in the state.
– Ends
Inputs from Nitin Upadhyaya
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
