3 weeks ago
SP Leader Climbs Into Agra Crater in 'Patal Lok' Protest
In the city of Agra in India, it rained so hard that a road broke and a giant hole appeared in the ground.
A leader named Nitin Kohli, from a group called the Samajwadi Party, was very upset about the roads.
He decided to climb down into the big hole using a wooden ladder.
Some of his supporters held the ladder to keep it steady.
While he was inside the hole, he joked that Agra was becoming a 'smart city' underground, like a place called 'Patal Lok.'
He wanted people to see that the roads were not built well.
Luckily, nobody was hurt because no cars were passing by when the road caved in.
Officials came to look at the damage and started fixing the road.
This happened soon after cracks were found on another road in Uttar Pradesh, the Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway.
A road caved in at Karmyogi Colony in Agra's Kamla Nagar area after heavy rainfall, leaving behind a deep crater.
Samajwadi Party leader Nitin Kohli climbed into the crater using a wooden ladder to protest.
Kohli sarcastically mocked Agra's 'smart city' status, saying a 'new smart city' was taking shape in 'Patal Lok'.
No injuries were reported, as the road collapsed when no vehicles were passing through the stretch.
Officials visited and barricaded the site as repair work began; the incident follows cracks on the Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway.
- Who
- Samajwadi Party leader Nitin Kohli, who protested by climbing into the crater; local officials who inspected the site and began repairs.
- What
- A road in Agra collapsed after heavy rainfall, creating a deep crater, and SP leader Nitin Kohli climbed inside to mock the city's 'smart city' claims.
- Where
- Karmyogi Colony, Kamla Nagar area, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India
- When
- August 07, 2026
- Why
- To protest against poor road quality and the BJP government's development claims about Agra being a 'smart city'.
SP Leader / Critics
Government / Authorities
Agra road quality and 'smart city' claims
SP Leader / Critics
SP leader Nitin Kohli said roads across Agra develop deep pits as if planning a new city in 'Patal Lok,' and questioned whether this is what development means.
Government / Authorities
Agra is officially promoted as a 'smart city' under the BJP government's development narrative.
Response to infrastructure failures
SP Leader / Critics
The cave-in and recent cracks and sinking stretches on the Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway highlight poor construction standards, fuelling criticism.
Government / Authorities
Officials inspected the site, barricaded the damaged area, began repairs, and NHAI removed three engineers, acted against PNC Infratech, and suspended tolls until repair work is completed.
Key facts
- Incident
- Road cave-in after heavy rainfall, leaving a deep crater
- Location
- Karmyogi Colony, Kamla Nagar, Agra, India
- Date
- August 07, 2026
- Protest
- SP leader Nitin Kohli climbed into the crater using a wooden ladder
- Casualties
- None reported
- Official response
- Site assessed, barricaded; repair work initiated
- Related incident
- Cracks on Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway, a Rs 4,200-crore project opened less than a month ago
- NHAI action
- Removed three engineers, acted against PNC Infratech, suspended toll collection
Quotes
Nitin Kohli
Samajwadi Party leader and local MLA
“"Once again, we are out looking for development. Entire Agra has become like this. I would like to ask the MLA if this is what development means. Wherever a road is constructed, such deep pits are formed as if there is a plan to establish a new city in ‘Patal Lok’. Instead of calling Agra a ‘smart city’, it seems a ‘new smart city’ is taking shape in the Patal Lok"”
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