In Hyderabad, Goshamahal totters, road caves in, cars in sinkhole

HYDERABAD: At least three people suffered injuries while several pushcarts, cars and private vehicles were damaged when a large portion of the Chaknawadi road in Goshamahal caved in on Friday noon. Though civic authorities are yet to ascertain the reason for the collapse, they suspect it could be because of a pipeline burst or shutting of a sewage line running under the road.
Those witness to the incident said that they felt a 'tremor' beneath their feet before the and road suddenly caved in. Fortunately, they managed to jumped to the side to avoid getting hurt.

"We were having tea at the stall nearby when we saw two people, sitting outside a tiffin centre, fall off their chairs. Just then, the road collapsed. Luckily, nobody suffered any major injuries," said Chandan Krishna who runs a medical store in Hindi Nagar.
Though E Rajesh too managed to escape unhurt, he suffered losses as his auto trolley stacked with vegetables, sunk into the pit. He recollected the ground shaking as he and his workers were unloading crates. "We were quick to move away but helplessly witnessed my trolley with Rs 30,000 worth of vegetables, crash into the ditch.

We couldn't risk getting in there to retrieve it for fear of the road caving in further," said Rajesh hoping to be compensated for his loss. Apart from his vehicle, two other SUVs - one parked next to the trolley and another that has just driven into the bylane - crashed in the incident.
The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC)-deployed Disaster Response Force (DRF) teams that reached the spot along with a crane and three JCB excavators, immediately cordoned off the road.

Officials said that they are yet to investigate the reason for the collapse but added that it could be because of a water pipeline bursting or shutting of a sewage line, which was otherwise open. This could have formed gas that weakened the road, they indicated. "We have to dig further to identify the reason and take remedial measures.
Only after that can we lay a new road," said K Venkat Narayana, Goshamahal circle's deputy executive engineer. Locals said the road was initially laid 40 years ago and since then, there have been regular re-carpeting taken up on the stretch.
Meanwhile, a local Congress corporator from Lingojiguda division, Rajasekhar Reddy, staged a protest on the street demanding that municipal minister KT Rama Rao visit the spot and blamed GHMC for laying a faulty road.