A portion of the Pune-Bengaluru National Highway collapsed near Nippani on July 29. This led to panic among motorists.

The portion is part of the work of expanding the carriageway to a six-lane highway. The work has been going on for over two years now.

Three NHAI officials were suspended in connection with the incident.

MLA Shashikala Jolle visited the site and expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of work. She promised to bring it to the attention of Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari. She demanded that the strip be rebuilt.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) issued a clarification regarding the incident. Officials of the NHAI Regional Office stated that restoration work is being carried out on priority to repair the damaged embankment and resume construction on the carriageway.

Explanation by NHAI

The affected portion was an under-construction approach of a Light Vehicular Underpass (LVUP) on the Sankeshwar Bypass to the Maharashtra border section, near Nipani, on NH-48.

According to NHAI, the incident did not involve the main carriageway. The authority explained that the Pavement Quality Concrete (PQC) had not yet been laid, and the work was still at the sub-grade level, with only part of the Dry Lean Concrete (DLC) completed.

NHAI said that heavy rainfall caused water to flow through the unfinished sub-grade, resulting in the erosion of a 7–10 metre portion of the approach embankment.

The authority clarified that movement of vehicles was not affected, as motorists were already being diverted through the service road while the main carriageway was being constructed.

The clarification came after images of the collapsed side wall and eroded embankment at the construction site were shared by Belagavi resident Uday Kinjwadkar.

NHAI reiterated that the incident is confined to the under-construction approach embankment, and that there is no impact on movement of vehicles on the existing route.