Lagatar24 Desk
Panaji: Traffic on the crucial Goa-Karnataka highway was severely impacted early Wednesday morning after an old bridge over the Kali river in Karnataka collapsed. The incident occurred around 1 am, causing significant disruptions on National Highway 66 (NH66).
A truck that was on the bridge at the time of the collapse plunged into the river. Fortunately, local fishermen quickly responded and rescued the driver from the water.
The collapsed bridge at Sadashivgad was primarily used for Goa-bound traffic after a new bridge was constructed over a decade ago. Following the collapse, officials temporarily halted traffic on the newer bridge for safety checks.
“Traffic on the new bridge was stopped for some time in the wee hours of Wednesday following the incident,” officials reported. After ensuring its stability, vehicles, except for heavy ones, were allowed to pass through, according to Karwar police officials.
Goa’s Canacona police station in-charge, Harish Raut Desai, mentioned that the Goa police were in constant communication with their Karwar counterparts to monitor the situation on the highway. Authorities from both states are coordinating efforts to manage the traffic and ensure public safety along the route.
The collapse has highlighted the importance of infrastructure maintenance and the need for regular safety inspections to prevent such incidents in the future. The authorities continue to work diligently to restore normalcy and facilitate smooth travel on the Goa-Karnataka highway.
