Rajasthan Road Collapse: Newly-Built Highway Washed Away, Corruption Allegations Surface
Heavy rains in Jhunjhunu district destroy a new state highway before its inauguration, sparking outrage over shoddy construction and alleged corruption.
A newly constructed state highway in Rajasthan’s Jhunjhunu district was swept away by the swollen Katli River after heavy rainfall on Sunday, raising serious concerns about construction quality and oversight. The road, connecting Baghuli and Jahaj villages to National Highway 52, was completed six months ago and awaited its official inauguration when torrential rains, measuring 86 mm in a single day, caused the river to surge and destroy a significant portion of the stretch, leaving a 30- to 35-foot-deep pit.
Videos of the collapse, which also showed an electric pole toppling into the river, went viral on social media, fueling public outrage. Locals accused contractors of using substandard materials and ignoring requests for culverts to manage river flow, alleging corruption in the construction process. “The quality was only on paper,” one villager told the Times of India, demanding a high-level investigation.
The incident severed connectivity to Papra and Panchlagi villages, highlighting broader issues of infrastructure accountability. The Katli River, a seasonal waterway flowing through Sikar, Jhunjhunu, and Churu districts, has faced increasing encroachments and illegal sand and gravel mining, which locals say exacerbated the damage. The state administration’s recent anti-encroachment drive aims to address these environmental pressures, but questions persist about oversight and planning.
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The Public Works Department (PWD) has announced an inspection to investigate the collapse and assess construction quality, as calls for accountability grow louder.
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