A major accident took place on Saturday morning at Bhattakufar Chowk in Shimla when the road suddenly caved in, creating a large pothole. A schoolgirl boarding an HRTC bus fell straight into the sinkhole. She was rescued safely after a lengthy and tense operation using ropes.
The incident occurred when an HRTC bus carrying students of Auckland House School was parked at the spot. One of the bus’s tyres sank as the ground beneath it gave way. The sudden subsidence created a pothole approximately 10 feet deep and five feet wide. The girl, who was boarding the bus at that moment, slipped and fell into it. Fortunately, she was taken out unharmed.
This accident has once again raised serious questions about the quality of the four-lane construction work being carried out by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in the area. The construction of a four-lane road and tunnel is currently underway around Bhattakufar.
Cabinet Minister and MLA Anirudh Singh criticised the NHAI, alleging negligence and poor construction. He said that this is not an isolated issue, as several buildings have collapsed in the past and many others stand at risk. He stated that the situation has now become life-threatening and cannot be ignored. Singh said that even the lives of schoolchildren are now in danger and urged Union Minister Nitin Gadkari to take immediate cognisance and ensure strict action.
Local councillor Narendra Thakur also echoed the concerns. He said that the four-lane and tunnel work is causing continuous damage in the area. Thakur claimed that there is collusion between NHAI and the construction company, and nearby houses have developed cracks. He added that land subsidence is increasing the threat level for residents, and the formation of such a pothole on the main road shows the seriousness of the problem. He questioned how compensation could ever make up for damage to homes whose very foundations have become unstable.
