Nanded, Maharashtra — A shocking video that has gone viral on social media has once again brought the issue of substandard road construction to the forefront. In Biloli Taluka of Maharashtra’s Nanded district, a man was filmed tearing apart a newly constructed road with his bare hands — barely a month after it was laid.
The road, built to connect Dugaon in Nashik district with Dongargaon in Pune district, began showing signs of deterioration just days after completion. In the video, the man sits on the road and effortlessly pulls out chunks of asphalt, exposing an improperly laid foundation underneath. He reportedly managed to rip apart at least four feet of the road surface, all while voicing his frustration about the shoddy construction work.
Local residents claim the road was constructed using minimal asphalt and without proper groundwork. According to them, the layer beneath the top surface was not prepared adequately, making the road structurally unsound from the beginning. “This is not a road, it’s a scam,” one resident said angrily, pointing to the ease with which it was dismantled.
Citizens of the area are now demanding strict action against the contractor responsible for the road. Many believe the incident is a result of deep-rooted corruption and lack of oversight in infrastructure projects. “Public money is being looted. This road has turned into a joke,” another local commented.
This incident has drawn comparisons to a similar case in Jalna district in 2023, where villagers lifted the top layer of a newly constructed road and found a cloth underneath, instead of the usual stone or tar foundation. Both incidents have exposed glaring lapses in quality control and supervision.
Experts say that a well-constructed road should easily last several years, if not decades, before requiring major repairs. “If a road falls apart in weeks, it’s clearly a failure in materials, design, and oversight,” said a civil engineer familiar with rural road projects.
Adding to public outrage, last month, a bizarre road design in Bihar made headlines when it was discovered that the road had been built around several large trees, forcing vehicles to zigzag through them.
With public trust eroding and visual evidence sparking nationwide criticism, the pressure is mounting on state authorities to investigate and hold those responsible accountable. As calls for transparency grow louder, citizens are demanding that infrastructure projects prioritize quality, safety, and long-term durability over hasty completion and cost-cutting.