Archive · 2 Sep 2026
Ujjain–Garoth Highway Sinks Again, 500-Metre Stretch To Rebuild
A major highway near Ujjain has sunk again.
This is the second such problem in seven months.
The damaged part is about 500 metres long.
Engineers found technical problems in part of the road.
Officials will dig up and rebuild the whole affected section.
The highway cost about ₹2,600 crore to build.
The repairs could delay when people can start using the road.
Officials still hope to begin traffic by March 31.
A 500-metre section of the Ujjain–Garoth National Highway has subsided for the second time in seven months.
The affected stretch near the railway bridge on Dewas Road will be dismantled and rebuilt by GVR Construction.
An Indian Institute of Technology Delhi investigation identified technical problems in an estimated 100-to-200-metre section.
The ₹2,600-crore highway remains unfinished, with a 41-kilometre stretch still pending between Chandesari and Kheda Khajuria.
Reconstruction may delay traffic commencement, although authorities are aiming to open the highway by March 31.
- Who
- The National Highways Authority of India, GVR Construction, and engineers involved in the inspection and reconstruction.
- What
- A 500-metre section of the Ujjain–Garoth National Highway subsided and is being dismantled and rebuilt.
- When
- The section sank for the second time in seven months; excavation began on Monday, with traffic targeted for March 31.
- Where
- Near the railway bridge on Dewas Road in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.
- Why
- A technical inspection found defects, prompting authorities to rebuild the full affected stretch to reduce the risk of further subsidence.
Public Concerns
Authorities' Position
Construction quality
Public Concerns
The repeated subsidence and a viral video of construction material collapsing near the bridge have raised questions about the highway’s quality.
Authorities' Position
Authorities say a technical inspection detected defects and that the affected section is being rebuilt to prevent the problem from recurring.
Project delays
Public Concerns
The reconstruction is likely to further delay the highway’s handover and the start of traffic, while the project is already unfinished after its expected completion period.
Authorities' Position
The department is targeting the start of traffic by March 31 despite the additional reconstruction work.
- Project cost
- Around ₹2,600 crore
- Affected stretch
- Approximately 500 metres
- Earlier subsidence
- A 200-metre section sank on February 6
- Pending highway section
- 41 kilometres between Chandesari and Kheda Khajuria
- Pending package cost
- Around ₹900 crore
- Construction agency
- GVR Construction
- Target for traffic
- March 31
- Strategic importance
- The route is considered important ahead of Simhastha Mahaparv-2028