Bhopal bypass road cave-in caused by systemic failure:Accumulated water neglected after 4-month gap in inspections; authorities say repairs to take 10 days

A 100-meter stretch of the Bhopal bypass has sunk due to a system failure, raising concerns about road maintenance and public safety. Officials from the Madhya Pradesh Road Development Corporation (MPRDC) inspected the bypass only once in the past four months, allowing water accumulation near the bridge to go unnoticed. General Manager Sonal Sinha has claimed that the sunken portion will be repaired in 10 days. However, experts say that repairing a 100-meter, 20-foot deep section, especially with waterlogged conditions, will take at least 25 days. Structural engineer Suyash Kulshrestha explained that the road cannot be fixed in 10 days because of the pit’s depth and waterlogging. Additionally, a retaining wall must be built to stabilize the area. Sinha clarified that the 10-day timeline refers only to filling the pothole to reduce accident risk. He admitted that full repairs, including the retaining wall, would take 25 to 30 days. When questioned about the collapse, department minister Rakesh Singh appeared irritated, stating that roads undergo surprise inspections, including this bypass. Further action will be taken after the investigation report is submitted. Officers neglected inspections The 50-kilometer-long Bhopal bypass is in poor condition due to lack of maintenance. Nearly 30 kilometers of the road are dilapidated, with potholes forming in multiple areas. MPRDC officers last inspected the road in June and did not follow up afterward. Work only began after the collapse, including tar-laying at intersections such as Vidisha Road, Asharam, Kanhasaiya, Transport Nagar, Kokta, and Misrod. Potholes as deep as one to one-and-a-half feet have formed, making driving hazardous. Following the collapse near the bridge, MPRDC has turned attention to the remaining damaged sections, initiating repairs on the entire 50-kilometer stretch. Investigation to determine responsibility MPRDC has formed a seven-member team to investigate the collapse and assign responsibility. The team, which includes Chief Engineer BS Meena, General Manager Manoj Gupta, and RS Chandel, is expected to submit a report within seven days. Experts question the need for a week-long investigation, noting that the responsible parties could be identified by reviewing which officers oversaw construction and monitoring of the bypass. Kulshrestha added that current officials monitoring the road may also have been negligent, stressing the need for prompt action. On Wednesday, the MPRDC team visited the site and prepared a detailed repair plan, including construction of a new retaining wall. Plan to rebuild retaining wall The collapsed section is near the Kalyanpur railway crossing, where an overbridge (ROB) was constructed by the railways. The 400-meter reinforced earth wall on either side of the bridge was built by M/s Transtroy Private Limited, Hyderabad. One side of this wall has sunk 100 meters, and the retaining wall is now tilting. Engineers have proposed constructing a 400-meter-long retaining wall, approximately 8 meters high, followed by filling the section with murram, soil, and gravel. A path was created through farmland, and land has been temporarily acquired from farmers to facilitate the work. Farmers blamed by MPRDC MPRDC has attributed the collapse partly to farmers, claiming that soil excavation near the wall disrupted drainage. Farmers, however, have rejected this accusation, saying the claim is inaccurate. Contractor blacklisted in 2020 The bypass project began in November 2010 and was completed by 2012-13, with a contract duration of 15 years. In 2020, the contract with Transtroy Private Limited was terminated due to non-compliance with terms, and the company was blacklisted for three years. Current repairs underway Repair work has now commenced across the 50-kilometer stretch where the road is in poor condition. Engineers are laying tar and addressing potholes while preparing the new retaining wall at the collapsed section.