Major pothole emerges in Indore smart city road worth ₹40 crore

A section of road in Indore's Gorakund locality has caved in, exposing concerns about the structural integrity of infrastructure developed under the central government's Smart Cities Mission. The road, constructed at an estimated cost of ₹40 crore, suffered a major subsidence during routine water pipeline testing procedures.

CCTV footage recovered from the site shows water gushing from beneath the road surface at the point of collapse, indicating possible structural deficiencies in the underlying construction. The incident occurred during pressure testing of the water distribution network integrated with the road project.

Local officials and residents have called for a thorough investigation into the construction quality and material standards used in the project. The collapse has prompted questions about the supervision and quality control measures that were in place during the road's construction phase.

The Smart Cities Mission, a central government initiative aimed at developing infrastructure in urban areas across India, has faced scrutiny in several cities over implementation challenges and quality concerns. This incident in Indore adds to growing concerns about project execution and accountability in similar infrastructure developments.