11-m deep, 6-m wide crater in Vikas Nagar; officials blame erosion

A crater appearing on a stretch in Vikas Nagar of the state capital early Monday yet again exposed the fragile state of infrastructure in the area. The road cave-in, which took place on the main road connecting Sectors 5 and 6, left a large crater measuring 11 metres deep, eight metres long and six metres wide. This was the third such incident in Vikas Nagar reported this year alone.

The road collapsed around 3:29 am, and the incident was captured on CCTV footage from a nearby house. The video shows a heavy truck passing over the site seconds before the collapse. The truck’s rear tyres jolted as the land beneath it sunk, but the vehicle narrowly escaped damage.

According to a police note, it was the personnel from the Vikas Nagar police station who spotted the sunken road while patrolling.

Municipal officials stated that erosion due to faulty underground sewer lines had caused the incident. Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) quickly barricaded the affected section and diverted traffic to alternate routes.

Municipal commissioner Inderjit Singh stated that the incident occurred on a road under the jurisdiction of the public works department (PWD), but attributed the collapse to poorly constructed sewer lines by Jal Nigam.

“Last year, a similar cave-in occurred on this very stretch, and we had to step in then as well. Jal Nigam’s substandard work continues to create problems for the city,” Singh rued.

Officials explained that the sewer lines failed to vent hazardous chemical gases, which eroded the sand supporting the road.

Recently, a proposal to set up new sewer lines on a stretch of 1.8 km in the area was approved with a budget of approximately ₹32 crore, Singh added.

Meanwhile, Jalkal general manager Kuldeep Singh said the sewer system in question was built between 2011 and 2013 and was expected to last at least 30 years. However, it deteriorated within 11 years.

Meanwhile, residents expressed frustration over the frequent road cave-ins in Vikas Nagar. Alok Singh said, “These incidents happen frequently, and we are the ones who suffer. The repair works damage our property, but no department compensates us.”

Prakhar said the authorities must inspect all sewer lines in the area to prevent future disasters. “This is the third major collapse I’ve seen in the area this year. If no action is taken, it could lead to a tragedy any day,” he warned.

The recurring cave-ins in Vikas Nagar highlight serious lapses in infrastructure planning and maintenance.

The ward corporator, Rakesh Kumar Mishra said, “Every year, we have to take special care of the area, especially during the rainy season.” Highlighting another concern, he said, “The underground cables are a major issue and one of the reasons for the road cave-ins.”