A stretch of an under-construction six-lane road in Odisha’s Cuttack district caved in following heavy rainfall, triggering allegations of poor construction quality and prompting the district administration to order a high-level inquiry on Thursday.
The damaged portion, located near Bhuasuni Gada on the Chahata Square-Madhusetu Road project, spans nearly 100 metres, while the adjoining retaining wall also collapsed.
The ambitious road project has been under construction for the past three years and is yet to be completed. Following the recent spell of rain, a large section of the carriageway reportedly subsided, splitting the road surface and raising fresh concerns over the quality of materials and execution.
Local residents alleged that such extensive damage after only a few hours of rainfall points to “substandard construction” and demanded strict action against the contractor if lapses are established.
Residents also claimed that several roadside cavities have developed in CDA Sectors 9 and 10 after recent rains. According to them, cracks have appeared in the boundary walls of some nearby houses, while the movement of heavy vehicles has further heightened safety concerns.
They warned that unless immediate repairs are undertaken, the damaged road could pose a serious threat to commuters during the ongoing monsoon.
Taking serious note of the incident, Cuttack district Collector Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde has directed a high-level investigation into the matter. The administration has stated that if negligence, construction defects, or violations of quality standards are found during the inquiry, appropriate action will be taken against those responsible.
“Right here, a portion of the road has been washed away. This entire area, from one end to the other, is in the same condition. When they first wanted to construct a guard wall here, we had demanded that they dig at least four to five feet deep to build it. But they paid no heed to it,” Bidanasi Village Committee president, Madhu Mallick, told OTV.
“Only the rods of the guard wall were visible on top, but not even an inch of rod has been laid inside. As a result, it is collapsing today. If this is its condition with just light rain, then you decide how durable this road will be in the coming days,” the Committee president added.