Dug-up roads, unfinished projects threaten lives in MP:Bhopal, Ujjain and Indore may face waterlogging, traffic snarls and accident risks during monsoon

With the monsoon expected to arrive soon, several cities across Madhya Pradesh remain inadequately prepared. Ongoing metro, flyover, elevated corridor, and road-widening projects have left roads dug up in Bhopal, Indore, Ujjain, and other urban centres, raising the risk of traffic congestion, waterlogging, and accidents during heavy rainfall. The key question is whether these cities will cope with the season’s first major downpour or whether roads will once again be submerged and busy intersections turn into waterlogged hotspots. This ground report by Dainik Bhaskar identifies the routes and neighbourhoods most vulnerable to monsoon-related disruptions, examines the preparedness measures taken by local authorities, and assesses whether any meaningful lessons have been learned from the shortcomings of previous years. Bhopal: Metro and 10-lane projects may worsen traffic and flooding In Bhopal, construction on the Orange Line metro corridor between Subhash Nagar and Karond is underway across a 10-km stretch. Underground work outside Bhopal Railway Station and metro pillars in areas such as Sindhi Colony, Karond and Arif Nagar have reduced road widths, creating bottlenecks that are expected to worsen during the rains. The Blue Line corridor from Bhadbhada to Ratnagiri has also narrowed roads near New Market, while Raisen Road continues to witness heavy traffic jams, particularly during evening hours. The city’s ₹836-crore Ayodhya Bypass expansion project has further complicated travel. Construction of a 16-km, 10-lane road and more than eight bridges has led to diversions and large excavated stretches, many of which reportedly lack proper lighting at night. Ujjain: Simhastha development works create new monsoon challenges Ujjain is currently witnessing development works worth nearly ₹13,000 crore ahead of Simhastha 2028, including road widening, bridges, tunnels, elevated corridors, ropeways, shopping complexes and the expansion of the Mahakal Temple precinct. These ongoing projects have created several potential danger zones during the rainy season. Just last week, a child reportedly drowned after rainwater accumulated in a construction pit dug for a ropeway project near the railway station. Open excavations and incomplete work on roads connecting Koila Phatak, Teliwada Chowk, Gayl India-Nilganga, Tagore Chowk, Nanakheda, Bijasan Mata Temple and other locations are expected to increase the risk of accidents and waterlogging. The basement of an under-construction shopping complex near Regal Talkies is also considered vulnerable to flooding. Municipal Commissioner issues alert Municipal Commissioner Abhilash Mishra has directed zonal officers and engineering staff to remain on high alert during the monsoon. He instructed officials to ensure prompt removal of debris and waterlogging from construction sites and ordered regular cleaning of drains to prevent flooding during the rainy season. Indore: Elevated Bridge Work Likely to Cause Monsoon Disruptions In Indore, construction of the elevated bridge from Devas Naka to Vijay Nagar is expected to create difficulties during heavy rainfall. Several low-lying stretches, including the BRTS road near Press Complex, MIG Police Station on Nehru Nagar Road No. 2, and the road between Laxmi Memorial Hospital and Zanjeerwala Square, are prone to water accumulation due to ongoing excavation work. Hukamchand Clock Tower, Musakhedi Ring Road crossing and the Khajrana-Robot Square stretch also face recurring traffic congestion and waterlogging during heavy rains. In Dwarkapuri’s Ram Mandir lane, severe rainfall previously caused vehicles to be swept away, highlighting the area’s vulnerability. Gwalior: Choked drains raise flooding concerns Gwalior’s drainage system is also under pressure ahead of the monsoon. Around 10 major drains remain clogged, while encroachments have narrowed the Swarnrekha and Morar rivers at several locations. Recent rainfall lasting just 30 minutes led to waterlogging in Murar, the Railway Station area, Hazira, Thatipur, City Centre and parts of Lashkar. Baradari, Sadar Bazaar, Suresh Nagar, Jiwaji Nagar, Govindpuri, Patel Nagar, Phalka Bazaar and the Jinsi Nala area have been identified as highly vulnerable. Experts have warned that damaged roads, disrupted traffic and water-borne diseases could become major concerns during the monsoon. However, the Municipal Corporation says drain-cleaning drives have been underway for the past two months, with Poklen machines and JCBs regularly deployed across all four assembly constituencies. Previous accidents highlight safety risks Four months ago, a 33-year-old motorcyclist, Rakesh Yadav, died in Indore after falling into an excavation pit dug for laying a Narmada pipeline in the Dwarkapuri area. He suffered severe injuries and later died during treatment. Roads have collapsed three times in Bhopal In the last one year, there have been three instances of roads collapsing in Bhopal. A section of the road has collapsed twice in MP Nagar and once near Bilkhiriya on Raisen Road. However, no major accident occurred due to this. Will cities be ready for the first heavy rain? As the monsoon approaches, residents and commuters across Madhya Pradesh’s major cities face growing concerns over dug-up roads, unfinished infrastructure projects and inadequate drainage systems. The coming weeks will test whether civic authorities have learned from previous years’ shortcomings or whether the first spell of heavy rain will once again turn roads into waterlogged hazards and disrupt daily life.