Ludhiana: Extreme summer heat and trapped underground gases are suspected to have caused a reinforced cement concrete (RCC) road to fracture and rupture in the city’s New Mayapuri area on Tuesday.The incident, which occurred near a sewer manhole in Ward 66, is the third such infrastructure failure reported in the industrial hub in recent weeks. Local municipal officials inspected the site to determine if pent-up sewer gas had caused the burst, though the manhole cover itself remained undamaged.Area councillor Rohit Sikka said the road, constructed a few years ago, lacked adequate expansion joints or air-release vents. He said intense seasonal temperatures, combined with subsurface gas accumulation, likely had forced the concrete to crack under pressure.The structural failure has triggered safety concerns among members of the community, who have called for a comprehensive technical investigation. Residents warned that future ruptures during peak traffic hours could cause serious accidents or damage moving vehicles.Repair work is in progress on the site. Similar concrete road ruptures were documented previously in the HM Colony area of Jamalpur in April, and along Lohara Road on May 20.
