Mumbai: New barricade rammed, traffic chaos at King's Circle

Mumbai: New barricade rammed, traffic chaos at King's Circle

One of the height barricades newly-erected at the entrance of the Sion flyover connecting the King’s Circle railway bridge was again rammed by a truck, which led to its collapse mid-road during the early hours of Friday.

Aishwarya IyerUpdated: Saturday, December 10, 2022, 01:55 AM IST
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Mumbai: One of the height barricades newly-erected at the entrance of the Sion flyover connecting the King’s Circle railway bridge was again rammed by a truck, which led to its collapse mid-road during the early hours of Friday. The Sion Police booked the driver for rash driving under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.

The crash occurred between 12.45am and 1:15 am when a heavy-duty truck, based out of Punjab, approached from the Tulpule bridge (north-bound) in the Matunga area, without having knowledge of the height restrictions. Consequently, it rammed into the barricade right outside the Sion Hospital.

This incident led to traffic chaos as the northbound arm was kept closed for traffic movement, till a crane was called to clear the fallen barricade. “If it’s during the night or before 3am to 4am, the traffic movement is not affected. But after that, the traffic congestion at this (King’s Circle bridge) point can cause pile-ups till Chembur–and even further till Vashi Naka. While the point was closed, the traffic was diverted to the Tulupe bridge,” said a local traffic cop.

Traffic movement resumed by 8.46 am, however, a traffic backlog had already piled-up on the flyover, and its adjoining routes. By 10.30 am, the traffic started moving at a normal pace, added the traffic cop.

Just a month ago, the Central Railway began the fabrication work of installing height barricades at both ends of the flyover after repeated incidents of heavy-duty vehicles damaging the bridge's underpass.

On Nov 30, The Free Press Journal had reported that the railway authorities planned to complete the project by Dec 10. When The FPJ visited the spot on Friday, it was known that the fabrication work of a barricade to be placed at the other end of the bridge was almost done. But the installation of lights and signboards for better visibility is yet to be done.

“We enquired about the lights and signboards, but we were told by the engineers that it will be up after the entire work of gauge erection is complete. If that would have been done, this incident would have not occurred. But given our suggestion to install the barricades at the entrance, at least now the King’s Circle bridge is safe,” said a traffic official in the Matunga Traffic Division.

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