MP: Indore-Jabalpur bypass collapses near Bhopal, forms 30-foot-deep crater
What's the story
A major portion of the Indore-Jabalpur bypass near Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, collapsed on Monday afternoon. The incident left a massive 30-foot-deep crater in its wake. The cave-in occurred between noon and 1:00pm near the bridge connecting Mandideep to Intkhedi. Fortunately, no vehicles were on the road at that time, and no injuries were reported.
Twitter Post
Visuals from the site
#WATCH | Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh | A major section of the road near Bilkhiriya village collapsed. The road has been barricaded, and traffic has been diverted. (13.10) pic.twitter.com/mVI74tn8If
— ANI (@ANI) October 13, 2025
Probe underway
MPRDC launches investigation into incident
The Madhya Pradesh Road Development Corporation (MPRDC), which maintains the road, has launched an investigation into the incident. A committee headed by Chief Engineer B S Meena has been formed to probe the cause of the collapse. Preliminary reports suggest that damage to one side of the retaining wall of the ROB was responsible for this major cave-in. Engineers are also examining whether improper drainage, structural weakness, or lack of inspection resulted in the damage to the wall.
Infrastructure worries
Road built in 2013 under BOT model
The road was built in 2013 under a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model by M/s Transtroy Pvt Ltd, whose contract was canceled in 2020 for non-compliance with contractual obligations. Since then, the MPRDC has assumed oversight and outsourced minor repairs when necessary. Eyewitnesses reported seeing cracks on the road before it caved in. A similar incident had occurred in July near Jyoti Talkies in MP Nagar.
Quality debate
PWD minister's pothole statement reignited debate
Earlier, Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Rakesh Singh stirred controversy with his statement on potholes. He had said, "No technology has yet been developed that can guarantee a road that will never have potholes." Meanwhile, barricades have been put up along the damaged stretch, and one side of the road is completely closed for traffic diversion.
Protest held
Congress leaders blame BJP government
Congress leaders also staged a protest at the spot, blaming the BJP-led government for poor public infrastructure. Manoj Shukla, who led the protest, said a major accident could have happened had heavy vehicles been passing through at that time. He also pointed out that the road is close to a railway line and the Sukhi Sewania railway station.