A deep crack running across the middle of the Inner Ring Road near Kapil Nagar Square has emerged as a serious hazard for thousands of commuters, raising fear of accidents during monsoon when rainwater conceals the damaged stretch. The crack, nearly six inches deep and four inches wide, has developed across the carriageway and is capable of trapping the wheels of two-wheelers and auto-rickshaws, causing riders to lose balance. With water accumulating over the damaged portion after every spell of rain, motorists are often unable to detect the danger until the last moment. The stretch is not an isolated black spot. Large potholes have appeared at several locations along the corridor, particularly near Power Grid Square, where heavy vehicles have carved out dangerous depressions in the concrete surface. The road serves as one of city’s busiest bypass corridors, carrying a continuous stream of trucks, buses, school buses, school vans, cars and two-wheelers throughout the day.

 

Daily commuters said the deteriorating condition of the road has made travel increasingly risky. “Once the crack fills with rainwater, it is impossible to judge its depth. A two-wheeler can easily skid or get trapped,” said a commuter who uses the route daily. Another motorist said heavy vehicles frequently swerve to avoid the damaged portions, forcing smaller vehicles dangerously close to the edge of the carriageway.

 

The Inner Ring Road was developed as city’s principal bypass to divert through traffic away from the city centre. Over the past decade, the corridor was widened and converted into a cement concrete road in phases by the Public Works Department, with the final stretches completed in 2022, creating nearly 50 km of continuous concrete roadway around the city. The project was expected to provide a durable, low-maintenance corridor capable of handling heavy traffic for decades. Instead, several stretches have begun showing signs of distress. Similar complaints about depressions and damaged concrete sections have surfaced on other parts of the Inner Ring Road in recent months, prompting demands for immediate repairs. The Kapil Nagar stretch is particularly vulnerable because it links Kamptee Road, Koradi Road and several residential neighbourhoods with the eastern and northern parts of the city.

 

It also functions as a major freight corridor for vehicles bypassing the city. With the monsoon intensifying, residents and commuters have demanded urgent repairs, warning signs and barricading of the damaged portions before any major tragedy occurs. They said temporary patchwork would not suffice and called for permanent restoration of the concrete pavement to prevent further deterioration and ensure commuter safety.