NHAI Acts on Expressway Cave-In: Show-Cause Notices to Officials, Contractor
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has issued show-cause notices to its project director, the contractor, and the authority engineer after a video showing two large potholes on the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway went viral. The incident, which occurred near Kheda Mastan village in Uttar Pradesh's Baghpat district, led to temporary closure of the affected section.
According to NHAI officials, the road surface caved in due to water accumulation following continuous heavy rains. The permanent cross-drainage system at the site could not be constructed because of sustained resistance from local residents, who have blocked slope protection works amid an ongoing arbitration dispute.
The authority has instructed the project director to fix responsibility for the incident. The authority engineer (AE) has been asked to explain negligence, and the team leader of the consulting firm serving as AE has been suspended. The highway contractor has been asked to explain why it should not be declared a non-performer and debarred from future NHAI projects. The contractor's project manager has also been suspended.
In a statement on social media platform X, NHAI regretted the inconvenience caused to commuters due to the incident following rainfall. The authority confirmed that the section has been restored and opened for regular traffic movement.
A senior NHAI functionary said the route patrolling team observed the cave-in around 6:30 am on Wednesday. He added that despite four visits by Uttar Pradesh government officials, the local resistance to protection works in the median portion at two locations remains unresolved. Locals did not oppose construction of the main expressway and ramps, but they prevented integration of the balancing culvert, using the culvert opening as a vehicular crossing instead.
NHAI stated that the permanent drainage system could not be commissioned due to this sustained resistance, which led to water accumulation and the subsequent road damage. The authority is now reviewing the contractual and supervisory lapses that contributed to the incident.
