Lucknow : In a recurring issue of infrastructure failure, a large crater formed near Powerhouse Crossing on Kursi Road in Sector 8 of Vikasnagar on Sunday following heavy rainfall. The crater, measuring 15 feet wide, 10 feet long, and 12 feet deep, emerged due to a sewer line leak caused by high pressure. This incident marks the fourth road collapse in the area within the past two years.
The Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) has barricaded the affected area and initiated repair work. Fortunately, no casualties were reported as no vehicles were passing at the time of the incident. Eyewitness Ravi Prakash Agrawal, a local shopkeeper, observed the road subsiding after a bike’s tires rolled over the spot around 2:30 pm. A concerned Vikasnagar resident expressed his worries about the recurring problem, stating, “This is the fourth time a portion of this road has collapsed in two years. With the rate of road subsidence going on, it will be life-threatening to commute here.”
Officials from the Jalkal department revealed that the affected road, managed by the Public Works Department (PWD), handles approximately 10,000 vehicles daily. Both pedestrian and vehicular traffic have been temporarily diverted, and Suez India Pvt Ltd, the company managing the sewer pipelines, has been instructed to expedite repairs. The crater was caused by a leak in a sewer line installed by UP Jal Nigam under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) in 2010. Heavy vehicle movement on the 1600mm trunk line contributed to the leaks, which eroded the soil beneath the road. The repair process is expected to take at least seven days. Jalkal department executive engineer Sachin Yadav mentioned that they had conducted a probe into the road subsidence in the area and recommended that the PWD install barricades along both sides of the 1600mm diameter sewer trunk line to prevent the movement of heavy vehicles, aiming to avoid further incidents.
Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam is anticipated to replace the existing trunk line and lay a new bypass sewer line. A PWD executive engineer emphasized the need for an investigation into the cause of the sewage line leak. “We will urge LMC to probe why the sewage line was leaking, as it led to a dangerous situation. Earlier, there were some recommendations from the Jalkal department, but the main onus was on the Jal Nigam department to implement them. We will ask Jal Nigam to implement it as soon as possible,” he stated. Official from the Division 1 Jal Nigam Urban, said they have received the recommendations and are developing a project to bypass the flow, which is important for laying new lines in the area to prevent future incidents. This recurring issue underscores the urgent need for a comprehensive overhaul of the area’s sewer infrastructure to prevent further damage and ensure the safety of residents and commuters.
