Punjab suspends workers after 3 floodgates collapse at Madhopur barrage

India Sep 22, 2025

After three floodgates at the Madhopur Barrage collapsed on August 27, 2024, Punjab suspended an executive engineer and two technical workers.
Heavy monsoon rains caused the Ravi River to overflow and led to a massive water release from Ranjit Sagar Dam, leading to severe flooding.

Incident sparks political outrage, calls for accountability

The collapse flooded Pathankot and Gurdaspur, tragically claiming a Water Resources employee's life and requiring Army rescue for 22 others.
An investigation blamed improper maintenance for the failure.
The incident has sparked political outrage and calls for accountability, while also highlighting how urgent better flood management and infrastructure upkeep are.