Jharkhand's eight-lane highway faces multiple subsidence incidents; Local leaders demand investigation into construction quality

Dhanbad: Commuters and residents have raised concerns over the quality of Jharkhand’s first eight-lane highway after repeated incidents of road subsidence.

The 20-km-long highway, constructed by the State Highways Authority of Jharkhand, connects Govindpur to Kako Math in Dhanbad. Built with financial assistance from the World Bank, the project was inaugurated in Oct 2024 by chief minister Hemant Soren. However, within just two months of its inauguration, the first instance of road caving was reported. Since then, at least six incidents of subsidence have occurred at different locations along the stretch.

On Wednesday, a crater around 8-ft wide and 4-ft deep developed near Dharjodi, briefly disrupting traffic movement. The Dhanbad administration promptly filled the pit and restored vehicular movement.

The issue gained political traction after local BJP MLA Raj Sinha questioned the quality of construction in the state assembly. He demanded a thorough probe into the quality of the highway, calling repeated subsidence a “live example of corruption”. He stated that the minister concerned has assured an investigation into the matter.

Locals feared that recurring subsidence could lead to a major accident if not addressed comprehensively. Several local leaders have demanded a high-level investigation into the construction quality, alleging possible lapses in execution and monitoring. Residents have also questioned the accountability of both state govt and the highways authority.

Dhanbad deputy commissioner Aditya Ranjan stated that all affected patches have been repaired to ensure smooth traffic flow. However, he said that further measures may be considered if the problem persists.