A man in Kanpur turned to an unorthodox method of protest on Monday by lying in a large, water-filled pothole with a mat and pillow, highlighting the dangerous state of a crucial road used by schoolchildren. The move came after his daughter slipped and fell on the waterlogged stretch, which residents claim has been neglected by authorities for months.
The protest took place on a damaged section connecting Ramgopal Chauraha to Anand South City in Barra-8, a route used daily by schoolchildren, commuters, and vehicles. Frustrated with inaction, the man, identified as Sheelu Dubey, decided to physically demonstrate the risk posed by the road.
Raising slogans of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai,” Dubey said his daughter, a Class 4 student named Ananya, had recently fallen from her bicycle after hitting a pothole submerged in muddy water. “The road hasn’t been built for months. I’ve spoken to many officials — the councillor, the minister, the MLA, but no one is listening. What do we do?” he said while lying in the pothole. “Children go to school here. My daughter slipped today. Everyone’s children walk this road.”
Pothole Protest Goes Viral as Schoolkids Join In
In the viral video of the protest, school buses can be seen passing by, and children inside one bus joined in with the slogans. The visual of a man lying in muddy water with bedding quickly sparked widespread attention on social media.
Locals revealed that the area has seen multiple accidents, especially during the monsoon season, with vehicles getting stuck and children wading through knee-deep water to reach school. Many residents supported Dubey’s protest, with some even planting rice saplings in the potholes to mock the government’s inaction.
According to Sheelu Dubey, complaints were made repeatedly to elected representatives and officials, but they yielded no response. “Every day, someone gets hurt falling in the mud. The administration seems to be waiting for a fatality,” he said. He also mentioned that the road leads to a school run by a public representative, making its neglect even more striking.
Officials Respond to Protest with Quick Fix; Residents Demand Permanent Solution
In response to the viral protest, Kanpur Municipal Corporation officials visited the site and temporarily filled some potholes with mud and gravel using a JCB machine. However, residents criticised the move, saying such stopgap measures are unsafe and ineffective, especially during heavy rains. Mayor Pramila Pandey later stated, “Efforts will be made to start road construction after the rains,” while acknowledging the immediate risk of accidents.
The issue surfaced as large parts of Uttar Pradesh remain affected by severe waterlogging and rising river levels due to heavy monsoon rains. Videos from across the state show urban areas submerged and infrastructure overwhelmed.
Amid the public frustration, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav took a dig at the BJP government, criticising it for what he called a misplaced focus on “event management” over citizen welfare. In a post on X, Yadav wrote, “There is a terrifying situation not just in Prayagraj but across the entire state due to floods. People are facing an acute shortage of food and drinking water.”
Akhilesh Yadav Slams Govt
He also claimed that pregnant women, children, and the elderly are struggling to access healthcare due to collapsing services. “People are scared of rats, poisonous insects and the risk of electric shocks. Houses are collapsing, belongings have been washed away, and people have no clothes left to wear,” he added.
So far, at least 17 districts, including Kanpur Nagar, Agra, Prayagraj, Lakhimpur Kheri, and Mirzapur, have reported major disruptions caused by flooding and damaged roads.
Back in Kanpur, residents of Barra-8 continue to call for long-term solutions. The protest, though unconventional, has ignited a broader conversation about infrastructure neglect in urban neighborhoods and the risks it poses to schoolchildren and the general public.
