Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The first spell of monsoon rain on Wednesday exposed major gaps in the Bhopal Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) pre-monsoon preparations, leaving several parts of the city waterlogged and commuters stranded for hours by late evening.
Key stretches including Nadra Bus Stand, Samantar Railway Road, Berasia Road, DIG Bungalow, Karond, MP Nagar, Rachna Nagar and Shahpura witnessed severe flooding, traffic congestion and hazardous road conditions.
The situation was particularly alarming in areas affected by ongoing sewage and infrastructure works under the AMRUT 2.0 project and metro rail construction.
Waterlogging on major roads disrupted traffic movement, while unfinished excavation works created serious safety risks for motorists and pedestrians.
Open trenches turn roads into danger zones
A ground inspection revealed several sewage trenches, utility chambers and manholes left open without adequate barricading, warning signs or safety measures.
Heavy rainfall filled these pits with water, making them nearly invisible to commuters. The absence of proper street lighting in several affected areas further increased the risk of accidents during night hours.
Metro construction adds to traffic nightmare
The ongoing metro pillar construction between Karond Square, Sindhi Colony and DIG Bungalow has significantly reduced the road width.
Near the Agricultural Produce Market Committee and Arif Nagar, roads have deteriorated into muddy stretches covered with loose gravel and construction debris.
With central road sections barricaded for metro work, traffic was forced onto damaged side lanes, resulting in massive bottlenecks that persisted for hours amid heavy rainfall.
Official statements
Speaking to Free Press, BMC executive engineer R K Trivedi acknowledged delays in AMRUT 2.0 works in areas including Rachna Nagar and MP Nagar Zone-2.
He said no new road digging would be undertaken now that the monsoon has officially begun and assured that all open manholes, trenches and large pits across the city would be covered and restored within the next 15 days.
Metro PRO Dheeraj Shukla said that all precautionary measures are being taken and actions will be taken as required.
