Heavy rain causes cave-in on Ganga Expressway ramp, carpet used as quick fix

A Ganga Expressway ramp in Unnao experienced a cave-in after heavy rainfall on Tuesday (Visuals credit: X)LUCKNOW: A portion of the road caved in on an entry ramp of the Ganga Expressway in Unnao on Tuesday morning after heavy rain, with workers initially placing a carpet over the damaged patch to divert gushing rainwater.The cave-in occurred near milestone 423 km at Dahi Chowki on the Unnao-Raebareli-bound carriageway, on the ramp that connects the expressway to a food plaza.The affected stretch was not on the main expressway carriageway.According to officials, the soil beneath the road surface was washed away following continuous rainfall, resulting in the cave-in.Workers and maintenance staff deployed at the site placed a carpet over the damaged portion as a temporary measure.The arrangement helped divert the water flowing over the stretch into the damaged section.The concessionaire and contractor responsible for maintenance of the high-speed corridor subsequently carried out repair and restoration work.The damaged portion was repaired within around 2.5 hours, officials said.Concrete and boulders were later used to fill the affected portion and restore the road surface.Meanwhile, continuous rainfall also led to waterlogging at the toll plaza located near Dahi Chowki on the Ganga Expressway.Officials of the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) said the issues were brought to their notice on Tuesday morning, following which directions were issued to resolve them.Private executives managing the toll plaza said restrictions had been imposed in the area because of high-voltage power transmission lines.The restrictions are aimed at maintaining a safe distance between concrete structures and the power infrastructure.As a long-term measure, the concessionaire is expected to undertake remedial work, including construction of a retaining wall along the toll booth plazas to prevent waterlogging during heavy rainfall.The incident comes amid persistent rain in Unnao, following which the district administration ordered schools to remain closed on Tuesday.