Traffic diverted after flyover bearing structure falls

Traffic on the Kaithal road railway flyover was diverted on Sunday after one bearing structure detached and fell from one of the it's pillars, spreading panic among commuters and the residents living along the flyover. As per the officials, a bearing structure is crucial to support and transfer the bridge loads to the foundation, allowing a controlled movement and reducing structural stress.

As a precaution, the district administration and police halted traffic on the flyover and redirected it onto alternate routes. A technical team from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Bhiwani, addressed the issue after nearly two hours of efforts. They also conducted a successful trial for traffic movement around at 5.30 pm, after which the flyover was reopened.

After receiving reports of the incident, Karnal SDM Anubhav Mehta, DSP Vir Singh, and other officials reached the spot and assessed the situation, directing traffic police to cut off access to the flyover.

Meanwhile, Karnal MLA Jagmohan Anand also arrived to review the situation. Both Anand and Mehta urged residents and commuters to avoid the route temporarily. Mehta said, “After the issue came to notice, we alerted the NHAI authorities, and traffic was diverted. The technical team of the NHAI has fixed the bearing structure.”

Jagmohan Anand said the issue was raised with the DC and higher authorities. The incident caused concern among nearby residents, who reported hearing a loud sound when the bearing support gave way. Observing the fallen structure, locals under the flyover promptly moved their belongings.

Traffic police managed the diverted vehicles via the Kachwa and Ghoghripur flyovers to ease congestion and maintain safety. Meanwhile, due to traffic diversion, the commuters had to suffer a lot on the day of Bhai Dooj. Vehicles were moving at a snail’s pace on different routes due to severe traffic jams.