Residents seek permanent solution after road cave-in

Jaipur: A road cave-in in Hathroj Peethwas Sunday once again raised concerns among residents, who said a similar incident occurred at the same spot three years ago. The road collapsed around 5 am, creating a crater that grew from about 7 feet in length to nearly 30 feet by the end of the day.

Repair work began Monday after residents repeatedly approached the authorities.“We went out for a morning walk when we noticed the road was sinking. By afternoon, the crater became much bigger,” said local resident Lalit. “We informed the JDA but were told the work would begin Monday. We also called the 181 helpline but did not receive any response.”The residents said action was initiated after a complaint was sent to the chief minister’s office.

“This happened at the same location where the road had caved in two to three years ago,” said Tarun Pathak, another resident. “Roads here are often dug up for pipeline work and later filled in hurriedly. As a result, such problems keep recurring.”

The crater eventually widened to nearly 30 feet and was estimated to be 7 to 8 feet deep by evening.Nagar Mal, executive engineer of JDA’s Zone-7, said the collapse was likely linked to underground utility works carried out in the area.

“The PHED undertook boring work here. During such operations, soil around the pipeline can get displaced, creating hollow spaces beneath the surface. When it rains, these voids can lead to the road caving in. Similar issues can also arise after gas pipeline works, as pits created during the process may settle over time,” he said.He added that restoration work began Monday. “We have started filling the crater. As per guidelines, water pipelines should ideally be laid at a depth of at least 1.5 metres. However, depending on the local conditions, these norms are not always followed. In many cases, roads also cave in because the excavated soil is not compacted properly after underground work is completed,” Nagar Mal said.