'We are developing Ellora Caves?' Rs. 4.3 Crore Gwalior Road Caves In 7 Times in Just 15 Days, Locals Fuming

Gwalior: A newly constructed stretch of road near Scindia Palace in Gwalior, ironically named 'Mahal Road' has crumbled seven times in just 15 days, exposing deep cracks. Built at a staggering cost of ₹4.3 crore, as part of a Rs 19 crore drainage and roadwork project and inaugurated only a month ago, the road has become the face of alleged corruption and shoddy infrastructure.

The road, which connects Madhav Nagar to Chetakpuri, has caved in multiple times following brief spells of rain. Deep potholes, looking like caves and cracks, have appeared throughout the stretch. Heavy vehicles have begun sinking, with a dumper truck loaded with ballast recently getting trapped on the Chetakpuri Road, triggering a massive traffic jam.

Quicksand Like Road

Residents allege rampant negligence and corner-cutting during the construction of this ‘Mahal Road’. According to eyewitnesses, heavy vehicles frequently sink into the road surface, pointing to a fundamental flaw in either the material used or the engineering process followed.

The road leads to Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia's residence, and was once touted as a developmental milestone in Gwalior. However, it has now become a source of embarrassment, with pre-monsoon showers swiftly eroding its surface.

As locals watch their taxpayer money wash away with each rainfall, they are left stunned by the fact that the very road laid just two weeks ago started behaving like 'quicksand'. Enraged, people are questioning the very point of spending crores on building roads that will collapse with just a sprinkle of rain.

Social media users are thrashing the governance in the comment section of posts covering this "engineering marvel."

"Bhai.. misinformed you are, it was a missile attack from Pakistan, not the corruption from Babus. Very bad. Missile attack is all over social media," said one of the users, mocking the absurd engineering.

"I was not aware that we are still developing the Ellora caves. This is brilliant and the only difference I see here is that responsible people are taking 2-3 % commission of the total budget allocation," wrote another, drawing attention to possible corruption behind the cave-like roads.

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Administration Reacts

In response to public outrage, Collector Ruchika Chauhan has ordered a high-level probe and constituted a two-member technical investigation committee. The committee has been directed to submit a comprehensive report within five days, focusing on the following:

1. Whether proper technical approvals were secured before construction.
2. The quality of materials used in the project.
3. The process of soil filling and laying of sewer lines beneath the road.
4. The accountability of the contractor and the oversight mechanisms in place.

This probe is expected to expose the root causes of the structural failures and determine if any officials or contractors are to be held accountable for negligence or corruption.