Indore News: Portion Of 75-Year-Old Shastri Bridge Caves In; Traffic Halted
Locals said the bridge had been in poor condition for years and despite repeated demands for repairs, the municipal corporation failed to take action. The traffic closure also caused inconvenience to commuters.
Indore News: Portion Of 75-Year-Old Shastri Bridge Caves In; Traffic Halted | FP Photo
Indore (Madhya Pradesh): A portion of the 75-year-old Shastri Bridge, one of Indore’s oldest bridges, caved in on one side on Sunday morning.
Following the incident, police barricaded the area and stopped traffic movement.
A 5 -foot-deep and 6-foot-long pit formed on the lane heading from Gandhi Statue towards Shastri Market.
The inner portion of the bridge had become hollow and old iron rods were visible.
Locals said the bridge had been in poor condition for years and despite repeated demands for repairs, the municipal corporation failed to take action.
The traffic closure also caused inconvenience to commuters.
According to eyewitnesses, around 10 am, one side of the bridge began to tilt, and shortly after, the road surface collapsed.
Fortunately, no vehicles were passing at the time, preventing any casualties. Locals immediately informed the traffic police.
Barricades have been placed around the damaged section and vehicles are being diverted. Experts from the municipal corporation have reached the spot to inspect the cause of the collapse.
The crater appeared near the footpath. Public Works Committee in-charge Rajendra Rathore said a team has been sent to the site and added that the presence of rats under the bridge might have weakened the soil by creating burrows.
The Shastri Bridge was built after 1950 during the era of the Madhya Bharat government.
It was the city’s first 2-lane bridge. At the time of its construction, its alignment towards Rani Sarai was opposed by locals.
With the increase in traffic over the years, the bridge has now become too narrow, and a plan for a new bridge is under consideration.
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