80 Days Of Delhi Dehradun E Way Light Rain Creates Sinkholes In Shamli Videos Viral

Questions have been raised over the construction quality of the newly inaugurated Delhi–Dehradun Expressway after several sinkholes reportedly appeared along the stretch passing through Shamli following light rainfall.

The development comes within 80 days of Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurating the expressway, prompting criticism on social media and forcing the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to undertake urgent repair work.

According to officials, light rain caused the road surface to deteriorate at several locations, resulting in sinkholes that damaged multiple vehicles.

Motorists claimed that tyres burst and alloy wheels were broken while driving over the affected sections of the expressway.

The issue gained traction after a motorist uploaded a video of his damaged car on social media. In the viral clip, he alleged that the poor condition of the newly opened expressway had caused significant damage to his vehicle. The video quickly sparked widespread discussion online, with users questioning the quality of the highway.

In the video of the damaged highway, uploaded on X, he claimed that he saw five - six accidents take place due to the potholes. Tagging PM Narendra Modi in his post, he wrote, “This is the Delhi–Dehradun Expressway, inaugurated by you just a couple of months ago. It took around 5 years to build, yet it hasn’t even seen its first monsoon. Look at the pathetic condition. People are forced to stand in the middle of the expressway to warn speeding vehicles about these massive potholes, which could easily turn fatal. What kind of roads are private contractors building despite collecting such high tolls from the public?”

Responding to the controversy, the National Highways Authority of India initiated immediate repair work on the affected stretches.

In an official statement, NHAI said that while a culvert had been constructed to facilitate rainwater flow, the drainage system could not be fully integrated due to resistance from local residents.

“Instead, locals have been using the culvert opening as a vehicular crossing. Due to this, the intended cross-drainage arrangement has remained non-operational, leading to accumulation of rainwater along the carriageway during the heavy rainfall and the subsequent road surface cave-in,” the authority stated.

The highway authority confirmed that the damaged section has since been repaired. To prevent further incidents, NHAI has initiated the construction of an interim parallel drain spanning approximately 1.5 kilometres.

Rajan Pandey, project director NHAI, said that rainfall had caused portions of the road to sink at certain locations. He said that as soon as information about the damage was received, teams of engineers and maintenance personnel were dispatched to the site, and patching was launched on a priority basis.

Pandey added that repair work is continuing to ensure uninterrupted traffic movement on the expressway. He also said the authority will inspect other sections of the highway to identify any vulnerable spots and prevent similar incidents in the future.

“To address the situation, NHAI has initiated construction of an interim parallel drain of a length of approximately 1.5 kilometres. The drainage gradient is being redesigned to safely convey rainwater up to the entry/exit location at Km 56+500, pending commissioning of the balancing culvert,” the statement added.

Built at an estimated cost of around ₹12,000 crore, the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway is a major infrastructure project designed to reduce travel time between the two cities to approximately 2.5 hours, down from about 6.5 hours earlier.

The expressway is designed for speeds of up to 100 kmph and connects with several major corridors, including the Delhi-Mumbai, Delhi-Katra and Delhi-Meerut expressways, while also linking to upcoming routes such as the Gorakhpur-Shamli Expressway and the Haridwar Spur.