The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has initiated strict disciplinary action following a cave-in incident reported on a section of the Delhi–Dehradun Expressway.

The incident came to light after a viral video showed potholes and structural damage on the roadway, prompting concerns about construction quality and maintenance.

According to officials, NHAI issued show-cause notices to the project director, the contractor involved, and the authority engineer responsible for supervision of the work.In addition, the team leader of the consulting authority engineer has been suspended, while the contractor’s project manager has also been suspended.

The contractor has been warned that it could be declared a non-performer and debarred from future NHAI projects if its response is found unsatisfactory.

Preliminary findings suggest that the cave-in occurred due to water accumulation following continuous heavy rainfall, compounded by the absence of a completed permanent cross-drainage system at the affected location.Officials stated that construction of key slope protection and drainage works had been delayed due to resistance from local residents in the area.

The dispute is reportedly linked to an ongoing arbitration matter, with locals allegedly not allowing execution of protection works in the median portion of the expressway at certain points.In some cases, culvert openings were reportedly being used as informal vehicular crossings, further complicating construction activities.

The affected section, located near Kheda Mastan village in Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat district, was identified by patrol teams early in the morning following heavy overnight rainfall.NHAI confirmed that the damaged stretch has since been repaired and reopened to traffic.The authority has directed a detailed inquiry to fix accountability and ensure corrective measures are taken to prevent similar incidents in future.

The episode has raised broader concerns about project execution challenges, coordination with local stakeholders, and infrastructure resilience during extreme weather conditions.