Newly Built Delhi-Dehradun Expressway Faces Scrutiny Over Potholes After First Rain
Quick Look
- A newly constructed 212km Delhi-Dehradun Expressway in India has been criticized after two large potholes appeared on a stretch in UP's Shamli following the first significant rainfall.
- The potholes, described as 1.5 feet deep and 3.5 feet wide, caused vehicles to lose balance and at least two cars to suffer bent alloy wheels.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The Delhi-Dehradun Expressway is a 212km flagship project costing Rs 12,000 crore. Two large potholes appeared on a stretch in UP's Shamli after the first significant rainfall, raising concerns about construction quality.
The 212km Delhi-Dehradun Expressway, hailed as a flagship project, has come under scrutiny after two large potholes appeared on the stretch in UP’s Shamli following the season’s first significant rainfall.
DEHRADUN/SHAMLI: A newly built Rs 12,000-cr expressway. One spell of rain. Then came potholes big enough to wreck alloys and topple vehicles. The 212km Delhi-Dehradun Expressway, hailed as a flagship project, has come under scrutiny after two large potholes appeared on the stretch in UP’s Shamli following the season’s first significant rainfall. “We were fortunate that our vehicle didn’t overturn. They were almost 1.5 feet deep and around 3.5 feet wide”, said Mohammad Usman, a Delhi cloth merchant who was travelling to Mussoorie with his family on Wednesday when his vehicle struck one of the potholes.
‘Many vehicles had close shave on Doon eway’
Usman told TOI that several vehicles narrowly escaped accidents while trying to swerve to avoid them. In a video recorded shortly after the discovery, he can be heard saying that four to five vehicles lost balance while passing through the damaged stretch. He also claimed that “at least two cars suffered bent alloy wheels”. Shaken, Usman and his family stopped along the road to warn other motorists before filming the damaged section and posting it on Instagram. The video drew widespread attention and concern over the “quality of construction work”. NHAI soon deployed repair crews. Sonu Baliyan, the driver of a patrol vehicle accompanying the maintenance team, attributed the damage to intense overnight rainfall. “The potholes have now been repaired,” he said.
Open Questions
- What caused the poor construction quality?
- Will there be further investigations into the project?
- What is the long-term impact on the expressway's durability?
