UP: Portion of Purvanchal Expressway caves in, Congress lashes out

Four people were injured after a portion of the newly constructed Purvanchal Expressway caved in following heavy rain here, officials said.

The expressway, connecting Lucknow to Ghazipur district in eastern Uttar Pradesh, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2021, ahead of the Assembly elections in February-March.

Four people travelling in a car suffered injuries in the accident, officials said. They have been hospitalised.

Officials of the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) first stopped traffic on the highway before diverting it.

District Magistrate Raveesh Gupta said, "A part of the expressway in Haliyapur police station limits caved in on Thursday night. The UPEIDA security officer reached the spot and set up a diversion.

"Most of the repair and maintenance work was completed by Friday morning."

Reacting to the expressway caving in, the Congress tweeted in Hindi, "UP's Purvanchal Expressway has caved in. Thousands of crores were spent (to build it), but it could not bear the rain. A car entered a 15-feet big pit. Just before the UP (Assembly) elections, PM Modi had inaugurated the incomplete ('aadhe adhure') expressway. Now, the result is out. Modi ji...