A bus carrying school children narrowly avoided a major accident on Tuesday afternoon after its wheel became trapped in an 8-metre deep pit caused by the collapse of a section of the four-lane Gurugram-Sohna elevated flyover. This incident marks the second time in eight months that a portion of this flyover has caved in, raising serious concerns about its structural integrity.
The pit, approximately 8 metres deep and two feet wide, formed on the road towards Sohna, directly in front of SD Adarsh Vidyalaya. Immediate action was taken to prevent a more severe accident. Another bus was used to pull the school bus free, allowing it to continue its journey without further incident.Upon being informed of the collapse, a team from the road construction company and the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) swiftly arrived at the scene. They set up barricades around the affected area to ensure the safety of other vehicles. A senior GMDA officer reported that approximately 30 per cent of the road lane has been closed to vehicular traffic and that repair work would commence shortly.
An official attributed the road’s collapse to ongoing construction work for a sewer line. He assured that the maintenance company responsible for the road would undertake the necessary repairs.This is not the first time the Gurugram-Sohna elevated flyover has faced such issues. In December last year, a similar incident occurred when a five-foot deep and two-foot wide pothole formed after the road caved in at the same location. It took about three months to repair the damage at that time. Additionally, in August 2020, a section of the road collapsed during the flyover’s construction, leading to a temporary suspension of work.Construction of the elevated flyover began in 2019 and was completed in two phases by 2021, with the flyover opening to the public that same year. The total cost of this 21-kilometre-long infrastructure project was INR 1,944 crore.The recurring issues with the Gurugram-Sohna flyover highlight significant concerns regarding the construction quality and ongoing maintenance of crucial infrastructure projects. As this flyover is a vital link for commuters between Gurugram and Sohna, ensuring its safety and reliability is of paramount importance. Authorities must address these structural deficiencies promptly to prevent future incidents and safeguard public welfare.
