Serious concerns over infrastructure quality have emerged in Madhya Pradesh after a major stretch of a model road built under the Smart City project in Indore collapsed during testing. The road connecting Bada Ganpati to Krishnapura Chhatri, constructed at an estimated cost of around Rs 40 crore, suffered structural damage on Monday morning when an underground water pipeline ruptured during pressure testing at Gorakund crossing. High pressure inside the main distribution pipe caused the surrounding asphalt to collapse, sending a rapid surge of water bursting onto the street and terrifying passersby.
Pipe Rupture During Pressure Testing Triggers Water Surge
Under the Indore Smart City initiative, the road section between Bada Ganpati and Krishnapura Chhatri was designed as an upgraded urban corridor featuring integrated underground utilities for drinking water, sewerage, and telecom cables. On Monday morning, municipal engineers initiated routine pressure testing on the newly laid water pipeline network. However, as fluid pressure escalated, the structure around the pipe gave way, causing the surface layer to cave in. Pressurized water quickly tore through the road foundation and gushed out onto the carriage way. Commuters and pedestrians at the busy Gorakund intersection backed away in panic as water rapidly accumulated. Live CCTV camera footage captured the sudden collapse and the massive volume of water spewing onto the roadway.
Municipal Official Raises Quality Concerns Over Smart City Works
Following the incident, public questions were raised regarding technical standards, supervisory oversight, and execution quality. Rajendra Rathore, an MIC member and Information Committee In-charge of the Indore Municipal Corporation, strongly criticized the execution of the project. He pointed out that several infrastructure initiatives undertaken as part of the overall Rs 1,000 crore Smart City budget in Indore have faced persistent allegations regarding sub-standard workmanship since their inception. Rathore stated that he had repeatedly alerted the then Mayor and Municipal Commissioner about construction defects during the build phase, but municipal action remained restricted to superficial administrative notices without enforcing strict accountability.
Demands Submitted to PMO and Ministers for High-Level Investigation
Rathore highlighted that the administrative officers and engineers responsible for overseeing the construction subsequently transferred out of Indore, leaving local residents to deal with deteriorating public assets. He noted that despite millions spent on the corridor just four years ago, the municipal corporation has been repeatedly forced to re-pave and asphalt the road surface. Suspecting systemic corruption and compromised material standards, Rathore dispatched formal letters demanding an independent high-level inquiry to the Prime Minister's Office, Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, and State Urban Development Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya.
