Jaipur: With the monsoon setting in, road cave-ins and open trenches left behind by the city’s ongoing gas pipeline project are emerging as major safety concerns for commuters. On Friday, nearly a 20-foot-deep sinkhole appeared on Tonk Road near the Jaipur Municipal Corporation headquarters, disrupting traffic and raising questions over road safety during the rainy season.
A damaged portion of Sodala Road in Jaipur
Trenches dug for Torrent Gas pipeline work across the city have become increasingly hazardous. While some have been loosely filled with soil, recent showers have washed away much of it. At several locations, including outside the JMC headquarters, warning signboards have been placed around repaired stretches as a precaution. Damaged road surfaces and uneven patches are also making travel difficult.
JLN Marg Birla Mandir
A similar situation has been reported on Meera Marg in Mansarovar, where soil from excavation has spilled onto the road, increasing the risk of two-wheelers skidding. Excavation work is also underway in areas such as Vidhyadhar Nagar, Vaishali Nagar, Jhotwara and Sikar Road, affecting both traffic movement and public safety.Ashok Rawat, a local resident, said, “The road is already narrow because of encroachments. Now, with loose soil on the road after the digging, driving through the area has become even more difficult.”Mukul Kumar, who lives near Vande Mataram Circle, said, “The road was repaired around Diwali, but it is deteriorating fast. This is only the beginning of the season. If heavy showers continue, the road may become unusable.”JMC’s Malviya Nagar zone XEN Madan Mohan Sharma said, “There is a 90% possibility that the sinkhole developed because of the gas pipeline work. There is no sewer or other underground pipeline along this stretch that could have caused the road to collapse.” He added that the damaged stretch would be repaired within two to three hours.A JDA official said the gas pipeline work across the city is in its final phase and that locations likely to cause inconvenience were identified first. “This is a centrally approved project, so we cannot interfere with its execution. However, during monsoon, our teams are equipped to respond immediately if any road cave-in or dangerous pothole is reported,” the official said.
