A schoolgirl had a narrow escape on Saturday morning after falling into a massive sinkhole that suddenly appeared on the road at Bhattakufr Chowk in the state capital. The child was rescued after a prolonged rescue operation.
The incident occurred when an HRTC bus transporting children to Auckland School was stationed at Bhattakuffar Chowk. Suddenly, a large cavity formed in the middle of the road, causing one of the bus tires to sink into it. As a girl was boarding the bus, she fell directly into the hole.
Rescue personnel used ropes to safely extract the child from the sinkhole. The ground subsidence created a crater approximately 10 feet deep and five feet wide on the road surface, though some reports suggest the actual depth could be around 15 feet.
Local councilors and residents have raised questions about the National Highways Authority of India’s (NHAI) work quality and maintenance standards. The incident has sparked concerns about road safety in the capital, particularly on routes frequented by school buses and heavy traffic.
The sudden formation of the sinkhole highlights potential issues with underground drainage or soil erosion beneath the road surface at the busy intersection. Authorities are expected to investigate the cause and assess whether similar vulnerabilities exist at other locations in the city.
