{
 "no": 40,
 "id": "case-40",
 "sk": 20260701,
 "year": 2026,
 "date": "Jul 2026",
 "cat": "Public safety",
 "sev": "amber",
 "title": "Delhi-Dehradun Expressway. Potholes in ten weeks",
 "stamp": "Officials suspended, quality doubted",
 "human": {
  "v": "Motorists on a flagship expressway hit by tyre damage on a caved stretch",
  "est": true
 },
 "cost": {
  "v": "A marquee highway degrading within roughly 10 weeks of its opening",
  "est": true
 },
 "what": "About two and a half months after its high-profile opening, a stretch of the new Delhi-Dehradun Expressway near Shamli developed deep potholes after heavy rain, with motorists reportedly suffering tyre damage.",
 "dodge": "The highways authority blamed a blocked culvert and local land issues, suspended some officials and ordered an inquiry, the now-familiar loop of blame the rain, patch the hole, move on. Opposition demands for accountability on construction quality met the usual reassurance that prompt action had been taken.",
 "ministers": [
  {
   "n": "Nitin Gadkari",
   "r": "Road Transport and Highways Minister"
  },
  {
   "n": "NHAI",
   "r": "Executing authority"
  }
 ],
 "pos": "The authority said the damage was from waterlogging due to a blocked culvert, was fixed quickly, and officials were suspended pending inquiry.",
 "alt": "Independent quality audits and enforceable contractor warranties for flagship highways, with the findings published, not another inquiry that quietly closes.",
 "sources": [
  {
   "label": "The Hindu: expressway cave-in after rains, Jul 2026",
   "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/part-of-new-delhi-dehradun-expressway-caves-in-after-rains/article71174237.ece",
   "tier": 2,
   "archiveUrl": "http://web.archive.org/web/20260702140931/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/part-of-new-delhi-dehradun-expressway-caves-in-after-rains/article71174237.ece"
  },
  {
   "label": "Indian Express: NHAI on Shamli cave-in",
   "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/delhi-dehradun-expressway-cave-in-shamli-nhai-reason-10768265/",
   "tier": 2,
   "archiveUrl": "http://web.archive.org/web/20260728141302/https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/delhi-dehradun-expressway-cave-in-shamli-nhai-reason-10768265/"
  }
 ],
 "caseUrl": "https://whoisresponsible.xyz/case/case-40/"
}