Watch: Entire Truck Sinks Into the Ground in Dramatic Video
“सरकार ने सीधे पाताल में जाने का रास्ता बनाया है”

Pune, September 20: In a dramatic incident on Friday afternoon, a Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) truck used for cleaning drainage systems sank into a sinkhole that suddenly opened near the City Post Office in the Budhwar Peth area of Pune. The driver of the vehicle escaped unharmed, thanks to the quick response of a local bystander who helped him out of the sinking truck just in time.
Details of the Incident
The incident occurred at around 4 PM in the busy Budhwar Peth locality, which is one of Pune’s most densely populated areas. The jetting machine truck, which is part of the civic sanitation fleet, was carrying out routine work when the ground beneath it collapsed. The surface, composed of interlocking cement blocks, gave way, revealing an old well that had been previously covered with a concrete slab. The truck’s weight caused the slab to break, resulting in the sinkhole.
In a video shared by news agency PTI, the large vehicle can be seen gradually sinking into the hole as passersby watched in shock. As the truck’s rear began to slide into the pit, a local rushed to the scene and managed to pull the driver from the cab just before the vehicle sank further.
Response from Officials
PMC Commissioner Rajendra Bhosale provided a statement, clarifying that the accident occurred on the premises of the post office, not a public road. He confirmed that there was an old well at the location, and the slab that covered it had deteriorated over time. The weight of the truck was too much for the weakened structure, leading to its collapse.
“Since this was a drainage vehicle, its weight contributed to the incident. Thankfully, no injuries were reported, and the truck was safely removed using two cranes. We are now conducting an investigation to assess the structural integrity of the surrounding area and prevent future incidents,” Bhosale said in an interview with news agency ANI.
Retrieval and Future Precautions
Efforts to retrieve the truck began immediately, with fire brigade teams and PMC officials coordinating to lift the vehicle from the pit. It took several hours to fully remove the truck, with two cranes deployed to complete the task. The area was cordoned off to ensure public safety, and an inspection of the site is underway to determine whether other parts of the surface are at risk of collapse.
The PMC is also expected to conduct a city-wide survey of older wells and other potentially hazardous spots that have been covered up over time, especially in high-traffic areas. Local residents have raised concerns about the safety of such sites, and calls for more stringent maintenance protocols have grown louder in the wake of this incident.
Social Media Reactions
The incident quickly went viral on social media, with several users sharing videos and memes. Ranvijay Singh, a prominent social media influencer, posted the video on platform ‘X’ (formerly known as Twitter) with the caption, “सरकार ने सीधे पाताल में जाने का रास्ता बनाया है” (The government has created a direct route to the underworld), adding a humorous twist to the otherwise alarming event.
While there were no casualties, the incident has brought attention to the need for regular inspections of older infrastructure in urban areas, especially in cities like Pune where rapid development often coexists with aging civic structures.