Lorry falls into Kali river after bridge collapses in Uttara Kannada, driver rescued

KARWAR: A lorry fell into Kali river early today morning after a 41-year-old bridge on National Highway-66 connecting Karwar and Goa collapsed due to heavy rains. The driver was rescued by the Coast Guard with the help of local fishermen.

After the bridge between Karwar and Sadashivgud collapsed, Deputy Commissioner Lakshmi Priya has temporarily banned traffic movement on National Highway-66 between Goa and Karwar in Uttara Kannada district as a precautionary measure.

The DC has written to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to check the quality of the adjacent bridge immediately.

The DC directed the regional officer of NHAI, Bengaluru, and the project director of NHAI, Honnavar, to coordinate and start work on preparing a report on the stability of the new Kali river bridge connecting Karwar and Sadashivgud.

The ban on traffic will be in place till the NHAI and IRB Company submit a report on the safety of the Kali river bridge. IRB Company is carrying out the work of constructing the national highway in Uttara Kannada. A new bridge was built across the Kali river, but traffic was allowed on the old bridge on the other side.

According to the terms, IRB should have built two new bridges, but the 41-year-old bridge was allowed to be used, resulting in the accident. A case has been registered against IRB Company at the Karwar town police station under Sections 110, 125, and 285 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.