A strange scene from Dolkotar village in Sidhi district, Madhya Pradesh has left social media users baffled. A newly constructed road has been paved around an active hand pump, instead of relocating it. The video, which quickly went viral, shows a proper cemented road with a hand pump standing awkwardly in the middle, surrounded by a small cemented patch.
The unusual design immediately drew sharp criticism and ridicule online, with users questioning the engineers’ logic and the oversight in planning such a basic infrastructure task.
The road, part of a local development project, was reportedly meant to connect the interior part of the village to the main panchayat road. However, instead of shifting the hand pump before laying the road, workers decided to construct the road around it, creating an unsafe and impractical design.
To make matters worse, the hand pump is fenced with iron rods, leaving a small opening for locals to fetch water — turning a vital water source into a safety hazard for pedestrians and motorists alike.
Locals React With Shock
Residents claim they protested when the work began, but were ignored. The hand pump is the only source of drinking water for nearly ten families in the area, making its relocation more complicated.
One villager shared that the construction team “just built around it,” despite repeated requests to either shift the pump or adjust the road layout. The incident has now become the subject of local outrage and online trolling, with comments like “Common sense has left the construction site” and “A road to nowhere, literally built around a problem.”
Officials Step In
After the video went viral, local authorities reportedly took notice. The Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) ordered an inquiry into the matter to determine how such a lapse occurred and who approved the design.
Officials are now assessing whether the hand pump can be safely relocated and the road reconstructed to ensure smooth traffic and pedestrian movement. Administrative sources suggest that accountability will be fixed once the report is submitted.
The Larger Problem
The bizarre construction reflects a systemic issue in rural infrastructure planning — the lack of coordination between departments responsible for utilities like water supply and those overseeing road construction.
Ideally, before any new road is laid, all public utilities should be mapped and relocated, ensuring accessibility and safety. But in many rural projects, tight deadlines, poor oversight, and limited planning often result in oversights like this, where functionality is sacrificed for speed.
What Needs to Be Done
To fix the issue and prevent similar blunders, experts suggest:
- Immediate safety measures around the hand pump to prevent accidents.
- Relocating the hand pump to a nearby safe area while ensuring continuous access to water for residents.
- Reconstruction of the affected road section to restore a uniform pathway.
- Mandatory coordination between water and road departments during the planning phase of every project.
- Accountability checks for both contractors and site engineers involved in such work.
The Viral Aftermath
What began as a local construction oversight has now turned into a symbol of bureaucratic negligence. Memes, short videos, and sarcastic comments continue to flood social media, as netizens joke that “India has invented the world’s first drive-through hand pump.”
While the humor continues online, the incident underscores a serious issue — the need for better planning, transparency, and field supervision in public works projects across India.
Key Highlights
- Location: Dolkotar Village, Sidhi District, Madhya Pradesh
- Incident: Road built around a working hand pump
- Impact: Safety risk and water access issues for residents
- Action Taken: Inquiry ordered by local authorities
- Public Sentiment: Outrage and online trolling over poor planning
Final Take
The Sidhi hand pump road fiasco serves as a reminder that development without proper planning leads to absurd results. While the visuals may appear humorous, they reveal the deeper flaws in project management and rural governance.
Authorities are now under pressure to fix the mess — and ensure that the next road in Sidhi doesn’t come with a “built-in obstacle.”
