Lucknow: At least six incidents of road cave-ins were reported across the city after Tuesday’s first major spell of monsoon rain, leaving several injured and damaging vehicles.Residents questioned the quality of construction at the affected locations and demanded that repair work be carried out at the earliest.One of the incidents was reported near Lucknow University vice-chancellor’s residence, before IT crossing, where a portion of the road caved in, creating a cavity more than 10 feet deep.A motorcyclist fell into the cavity and sustained minor injuries. He was taken to a hospital, while the motorcycle was later pulled out. Residents said a similar cave-in had occurred at the spot last year after a drain wall beneath the road collapsed.“The accident could have been fatal, but the civic body’s slumber does not get disturbed until someone loses their life. Last year, it took 15 days for the LMC to repair a crater formed here,” said Sonali Tiwari, a Lucknow University student.At Bhootnath, amid rain and waterlogging, a car got stuck on a damaged stretch of road. Its front wheel sank into a knee-deep pothole. People at the spot helped pull it out.“The bumper of the car was damaged. The repair will cost around Rs 5,000. I also sustained a minor injury, all because of poor road construction. The civic body must repair the road so that no one else gets injured,” said the driver.Another case of subsidence was reported near Rolex Apartment in Chinhat, where a section of the road around a sewer chamber sank several feet.In Rajajipuram, a car fell into an open drain on Batham Chauraha Road near Singhania Clinic after the road surface gave way. Residents said the drain had remained open for several days without barricading or warning signage. The driver escaped unhurt. Residents have sought immediate covering of the drain and installation of safety measures from Lucknow Municipal Corporation officials.Apart from these incidents, road damage, potholes and waterlogging were reported from several parts of the city, including Chowk, Gomti Nagar and Balaganj, following rain.Engineers said heavy rain can act as a trigger for road failures but may not be the sole cause. Leaking or damaged sewer and water lines, drainage issues, inadequate compaction after utility work and soil erosion beneath roads can weaken the road foundation over time.“Once an underground void develops, the surface can collapse under traffic,” said Awaneendra Singh, a retired LDA engineer.The issue has become more visible over the past eight to 10 years as the city has expanded and underground utility networks have aged and come under increasing pressure. Previous investigations by the LMC have also linked road cave-ins to defective sewer lines and manholes.Another engineer, requesting anonymity, said recurring cave-ins could not be addressed through surface repairs alone. “Sewer and drainage lines, soil conditions and the road foundation need to be inspected and repaired to prevent further collapses,” he said.
