'India's First Drive-Through Hand Pump' In Madhya Pradesh Goes Viral

Madhya Pradesh is a land where surprises lie under every stone, or in this case, right in the middle of the road. In Sidhi district's Dol Kothar village, the local administration has delivered a development "masterstroke" that has left the internet gasping. In a moment of pure jugaad brilliance, a hand pump is in the centre of a newly built Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana road.

While most places talk about roadblocks to development, Dol Kothar has gone ahead and built development around the roadblock.

As a new road was being laid toward the Baiga settlement, the construction team faced a peculiar dilemma. Right in the middle stood an old government-installed hand pump, the only source of drinking water for villagers. The administration had a difficult choice to make: should the hand pump make way for the road, or should the road yield to the pump? After all, both symbolised development in their own right.

So, the contractor kept both. The result is a surreal structure, a hand pump at road level, surrounded by concrete on all sides. Now, Dol Kothar proudly boasts what locals jokingly call "India's first drive-through hand pump."

But not everyone is laughing. The bizarre arrangement has created chaos for commuters. Motorcyclists, cyclists, and pedestrians have all had close encounters with the handpump, and several minor accidents have already been reported. Villagers say they had raised the issue during the road's construction to either relocate the pump or divert the road, but their requests were ignored.

"This is our Baiga neighbourhood," said Sajjan Baiga, a resident. "The contractor built the road over the hand pump. Children fall while fetching water, and vehicles skid near it. We complained, but nobody listened."

After the video drew public attention, the district administration has ordered an inquiry into the matter and instructed officials to repair the road and relocate the hand pump to a safer location.