Amid the controversy surrounding the collapse of a railway overbridge on the Bhopal-Jabalpur National Highway, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) stated that the section of road where the incident occurred is not under its jurisdiction. The NHAI’s Project Director in Jabalpur, Amrit Sahu, clarified that the road was built and maintained by the Madhya Pradesh Road Development Corporation (MPRDC). Contrary to misleading claims, the NHAI asserted that it is not responsible for the construction and maintenance of the affected section.
The bridge over the railway crossing near Shahpura on the national highway, connecting Jabalpur to Bhopal, collapsed on February 22, sparking a political controversy in Madhya Pradesh. Reports indicate that this is the same bridge that had a damaged lane in December 2025. Traffic had been restricted to one lane while repair work was ongoing on the other lane. The recent collapse occurred in the section currently under construction.
The Opposition Congress seized upon the incident to criticize the BJP-led state government, alleging corruption and negligence. State Congress President Jitu Patwari demanded a high-level judicial inquiry, immediate legal action against those responsible, and blacklisting of the construction company involved to recover public funds. Meanwhile, the Leader of Opposition, Umang Singhar, called for a statement from the State Public Works Department Minister regarding the matter.
Following the collapse of a portion of the bridge last year, which led to traffic being restricted to one lane during repairs, another section of the bridge collapsed recently. This prompted the state administration to close the road for safety reasons. The bridge was constructed to alleviate traffic congestion at the Shahpura railway crossing.
