Buldhana: Continuous heavy rains on Wednesday and Thursday caused significant disruption across the Buldhana district, with 24 hours of downpour beginning Wednesday night around 9 PM and lasting till Thursday night. One of the most concerning developments was a portion of the Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Expressway getting submerged in water, raising serious concerns about the highway’s drainage system and the government’s infrastructure claims.
A video of the flooded section went viral, prompting widespread public criticism and questions about the expressway’s engineering. In response, highway authorities have issued a detailed clarification.
What Caused the Waterlogging?
According to the Superintending Engineer and Project Director of the Samruddhi Expressway, Camp Office Amravati, the water accumulation occurred specifically at the Mehkar Interchange in Buldhana district, where the Samruddhi Expressway intersects with National Highway 548C (connecting Khamgaon to Mehkar).
Gold Rate
27 June 2025
The Samruddhi Expressway is elevated at this point, while NH-548C passes underneath it. The flooding occurred on this lower national highway section, not on the main carriageway of the expressway itself.
107 mm Rainfall in 24 Hours
Authorities reported that the region received an estimated 107 mm of rainfall between the night of June 25 and June 26, 2025. As a result, about a 200-meter stretch of the national highway beneath the interchange was submerged for approximately 1 to 1.5 hours.
Water entered the ramps that connect NH-548C to the Samruddhi Expressway. For the safety of travelers, vehicular traffic was temporarily halted during this period.
Normalcy Restored Within 90 Minutes
The administration implemented emergency drainage measures, and within 1 to 1.5 hours, traffic was restored on the affected national highway section. Officials emphasized that no part of the main carriageway of the Samruddhi Expressway was flooded.
Public Reaction
Despite the clarification, the incident has intensified scrutiny over the design and resilience of the Samruddhi Expressway’s infrastructure during extreme weather events, particularly as monsoon rains become increasingly unpredictable.
The government is expected to face further questions on preventive planning and whether future phases of the expressway are being developed with enhanced drainage and weatherproofing measures.
