November 3, 2025

INDORE: Drama on the roads shook Indore early Sunday morning when a section of the famous, aged Shastri Bridge suddenly gave way! This isn't just any bridge; it's one of the oldest in the city, standing strong for nearly 75 years. But the morning at around 10 am turned tense. First, a small dip appeared on the lane from Gandhi Pratima to Shastri Market. Then, bam! The road caved in, leaving a big sinkhole — about five feet deep and six feet long — right near the footpath. Traffic came to an immediate halt as safety became the top priority. Officials, including the Traffic Police and Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC), rushed in to block the area. They stopped vehicles from risking the fragile spot and potentially falling into the hollowed-out pit. Here’s the shocking truth uncovered by IMC: the damage wasn’t just due to age. Rajendra Rathore, head of IMC's Public Works Committee, dropped a hot statement. "We have sent a team to the spot. There are a lot of rats there," he said. These sneaky rodents have made tunnels under the bridge’s soil, gnawing away at its very foundation. This rodent infestation likely sparked the collapse, making the inner bridge like Swiss cheese with exposed rusty rods! Dilip Yadav, IMC Commissioner, told TOI that experts are carefully inspecting the scene to plan repairs and bring back safety fast. Though the Shastri Bridge had been the first single-lane road bridge built just after 1950 under Madhya Bharat government, the lack of serious repair work was a ticking time bomb. The narrow structure already struggled with today’s heavy traffic, and city planners had even talked of replacing it with a wider one. This unexpected hole now forces drivers to take long detours and screams out a warning: Indore desperately needs a full safety check of its old infrastructure. If one of its oldest bridges can crumble this way, what’s next? The city must act now before things get worse!

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Tags: Shastri Bridge, Indore, Bridge Collapse, Sinkhole, Infrastructure Safety, Rodent Damage,