Lucknow: Road caves in near Ekana as rainwater seeps into sandy soil

LDA executive engineer Ajeet Kumar said excavation for the parking project had reached around 22 feet, while the proposed depth of the triple-basement project was nearly 30 feet. Soil-extraction work was stopped after the onset of the rainy season.

A section of road near Ekana Stadium in CG City caved in after rainwater seeped into sandy soil adjoining an ongoing multi-level parking project, damaging the road and bending a streetlight pole.

Large stretch of road caved in near Ekana Stadium following three days of continuous rainfall in Lucknow on Sunday. (Deepak Gupta/HT)

The affected stretch of the two-lane road is around 15 metres long and five metres wide. Cracks developed across one lane before the surface settled, prompting the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) to temporarily close the road as a precaution.

LDA executive engineer Ajeet Kumar said excavation for the parking project had reached around 22 feet, while the proposed depth of the triple-basement project was nearly 30 feet. Soil-extraction work was stopped after the onset of the rainy season.

According to Kumar, heavy rain over the past three days led to water accumulation around the excavation site. The water seeped into the sandy soil and affected the adjoining road.

“Retaining walls were constructed to prevent soil from shifting during excavation. However, excessive rainwater seepage affected the area, following which the road settled,” officials said.

The parking facility is being built on a 6,898-square-metre plot behind a mall in CG City and is planned to accommodate around 460 cars and 250 two-wheelers.

LDA covered the cracked portion with plastic sheets to prevent further seepage. A technical inspection will determine the exact cause and extent of the damage.

The LDA has directed the executing agency to restore the road at its own cost, without seeking additional payment from the authority.