What is the story about?
The newly-inaugurated Ganga Expressway in Uttar Pradesh has come under fresh scrutiny after rain-related damage was reported at separate points in Amroha
and Unnao on Monday, with visuals of the affected stretches circulating on social media. In Amroha, a section of the expressway developed a pothole-like damage following heavy rainfall, leading authorities to divert traffic from the affected stretch. The damage was reported between Faiyaznagar and Sahdara Milak villages in Hasanpur tehsil. Videos showing the damaged road have since gone viral on social media, raising questions about the condition of the expressway barely months after its inauguration.
Authorities Begin Repair Work
Officials have begun efforts to restore the damaged portion. The precise cause of the depression has not yet been established, although heavy rain and possible soil erosion are being examined.
Meanwhile, in Unnao, a 10-m stretch between kilometres 421 and 422, near the Sarai Katiyan canal bridge in the Dahi Chowki area, caved in after rainwater reportedly washed away soil along the edge of the carriageway.
Officials and workers of the agency responsible for maintaining the stretch inspected the site after local residents alerted them.
Repair work was subsequently taken up around the area. Officials also found damaged drainage channels at several points along the embankment and began repairs there as well.
Ganga Expressway Launched In April
The Amroha and Unnao incidents are significant because the Ganga Expressway is a major greenfield infrastructure project stretching about 594 km between Meerut and Prayagraj. The expressway was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 29 this year.
The latest incidents add to concerns that have surfaced around the Ganga Expressway since its opening.
In June, videos showing cracks and a sunken portion of the newly inaugurated expressway circulated widely online, prompting repair work.
Reports also emerged in July of a seven-metre section of a link road connecting the Ganga Expressway with the Sonic toll plaza in Unnao being washed out after heavy rain, with soil along the embankment eroding and part of the carriageway collapsing.
Earlier reports from Unnao had also flagged instances of road sinking and damage around ramps and other points, leading to maintenance and repair work.
The repeated appearance of rain-related damage has therefore brought drainage, soil stability and construction quality under renewed scrutiny. However, experts and officials would need to conduct technical assessments before determining whether the latest incidents are the result of extreme rainfall, drainage failures, embankment erosion, settlement of the roadbed or any construction-related deficiency.
For now, repair teams are working on both affected stretches, while traffic management measures have been put in place around the damaged portion in Amroha. The incidents have also triggered a fresh debate over the durability of major road infrastructure that was opened only months ago.
