E-Paper
Agra rains expose poor roads as three cave-ins reported in a week
Rains began lashing the city on Monday, causing roads to cave in at Karamyogi Enclave, Moti Katra and Tajganj.
After relatively dry spells in June and July, August began on a rainier note in Agra, with a week of heavy showers exposing poor road conditions and preparedness as three cases of road caving were reported.
Rains began lashing the city on Monday, causing roads to cave in at Karamyogi Enclave, Moti Katra and Tajganj. The collapses created gaps nearly 20 feet deep, exposing the poor quality of roads laid under the Agra Smart City project.
It was the second road-caving incident in Karamyogi Enclave within a month. Samajwadi Party leader Nitin Kohli descended into the pit using the stairs laid inside it and alleged that such incidents exposed the claims of the Smart City project.
Videos of the road cave-ins have gone viral on social media.
Similar damage was reported on the road leading to SN Medical College in Moti Katra. In Tajganj, a truck became stuck after the road caved in near Gobar Chowki.
Besides, an autorickshaw carrying five passengers overturned after falling into a ditch dug along the road in the Peelikhar area under Itimad-ud-daula police station area of Agra city on Friday evening. A girl student travelling in the autorickshaw was hospitalised for treatment.
The incident occurred on Friday evening, where a ditch dug along the road was left unattended. Heavy rain filled the ditch with water, and the autorickshaw driver, unable to spot it due to the lack of an indicator, drove into it, causing the vehicle to overturn.
‘Leakage in sewer line responsible’
Arvind Srivastava, chief engineer, Agra Nagar Nigam, said road cave-ins such as the one at Karamyogi Enclave occur when leaks in sewer or water pipelines wash away the soil beneath the road, weakening its base and causing it to collapse.
Responding to viral videos of the road cave-ins, the Agra Nagar Nigam said on its official X handle that an inspection found the potholes in Kamla Nagar were caused by leakage in a sewer line.
Agra Nagar Nigam said the sewer line had become old, resulting in the leakage. After the issue came to light, the civic body’s team reached the spot and launched repair work on the pothole on a war footing.
Agra Nagar Nigam assured residents that a permanent solution would be implemented at the earliest. It said efforts would also be made to repair or replace the ageing sewer lines in the area and conduct regular inspections to prevent such incidents. The civic body also regretted the inconvenience caused.
