By Special Correspondent
Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Congress President Jeetu Patwari on Monday launched a scathing attack on the BJP government, describing the recent collapse of a section of the Bhopal–Indore bypass near Bilkhiriya and Sukhi Sewaniya as a “living testimony to corruption and criminal negligence.”
A 100-metre stretch of the ₹305-crore bypass caved in, creating a 20–30-foot-deep crater. Fortunately, no casualties were reported, but Patwari said this was “not luck, merely coincidence.” He recalled a similar incident in July 2025 when a major road in MP Nagar sank, shaking public confidence in infrastructure safety.
“These two incidents, within months of each other, expose the rot in the system,” Patwari said. “Over ₹650 crore in tolls have been collected from the 12-year-old road, yet not a rupee has been spent on maintenance. The government ignored repeated complaints from villagers about waterlogging beneath the road. The maintenance contract lapsed in 2020, but no monitoring was done thereafter. This is the result of a corrupt system and a ‘50% commission government’.”
Patwari criticised PWD Minister Rakesh Singh for his remark, “As long as there are roads, there will be potholes”, calling it “a confession of defeat.” He cited alarming statistics: in the past eight months, 162 people have died and 1,473 were injured in road accidents in Bhopal alone. PTRI data shows 13,798 road deaths in 2023, rising to 14,791 in 2024, with even higher figures expected in 2025.
The Congress has demanded a high-level judicial or CBI probe into the Bilkhiriya and MP Nagar incidents, the resignation of PWD Minister Rakesh Singh, urgent road repairs within 15 days, and a statewide road safety campaign.
“If the BJP government fails to act,” warned Patwari, “Congress will take to the streets with the people. The public must awaken for the government to listen.”
