Delhi-Dehradun Expressway Section Caves In Near Shamli; Highway Authority Blames Locals

A section of the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway near Shamli caved in following heavy overnight rainfall, raising concerns about the durability of the recently inaugurated highway. Videos of the damaged stretch quickly circulated on social media, showing depressions on the route and prompting questions over road safety.

Cave-In After Heavy Rainfall

The incident occurred near Gogwan Jalalpur village in Shamli district. According to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the cave-in was caused by water accumulation due to issues with the local drainage system.

Also Read: Struggling Tata Nexon In Landour Proves Why You Need Hill-Hold Assist: Watch Video

The problem came to light after a motorist shared visuals from near Hathi Karoda village, where a portion of the road surface had collapsed. The Delhi-Dehradun Expressway, spanning over 200 km, was inaugurated on April 14 this year.

NHAI Cites Drainage Issues

In an official statement, NHAI said that while a culvert had been constructed to facilitate rainwater flow, the drainage system could not be fully integrated due to resistance from local residents.

Also Read: BYD India Announces Price Hike Of Up To Rs 1 Lakh Effective July 1

"Instead, locals have been using the culvert opening as a vehicular crossing. Due to this, the intended cross-drainage arrangement has remained non-operational, leading to accumulation of rainwater along the carriageway during the heavy rainfall and the subsequent road surface cave-in," the authority stated.

Repair Work And Interim Measures

The highway authority confirmed that the damaged section has since been repaired. To prevent further incidents, NHAI has initiated the construction of an interim parallel drain spanning approximately 1.5 kilometres.

Also Read: Hero MotoCorp Reports 23 Per cent Growth In Q1 Dispatches

"To address the situation, NHAI has initiated construction of an interim parallel drain of a length of approximately 1.5 kilometres. The drainage gradient is being redesigned to safely convey rainwater up to the entry/exit location at Km 56+500, pending commissioning of the balancing culvert," the statement added.

Delhi-Dehradun Expressway

Built at an estimated cost of around Rs 12,000 crore, the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway is a major infrastructure project designed to reduce travel time between the two cities to approximately 2.5 hours, down from about 6.5 hours earlier.

The expressway is designed for speeds of up to 100 kmph and connects with several major corridors, including the Delhi-Mumbai, Delhi-Katra and Delhi-Meerut expressways, while also linking to upcoming routes such as the Gorakhpur-Shamli Expressway and the Haridwar Spur.