Authorities in neighbouring Karnataka instructed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to assess the stability of the new Kali River bridge after the collapse of an old bridge over the same water body. The old bridge fell around 1:30 am on Wednesday, leading to severe traffic disruptions on National Highway No. 66, which links Goa to Karnataka, according to officials.
At the time of the collapse, a truck that was crossing the bridge plunged into the river. A police official from Karwar in the Uttar Kannada district mentioned that local fishermen subsequently rescued the truck?s driver. The official further noted that the old bridge, which had been used for Goa-bound traffic since the construction of a new bridge a decade ago, had collapsed.
Uttar Kannada District Magistrate Lakshmi Priya K reported that the collapse of the old Kali River bridge, which connected Karwar and Sadashivgad, was confirmed to have occurred at 1:30 am. She directed the concerned NHAI officials to verify and report on the stability of the new Kali River bridge connecting the same locations. Following the incident, traffic on the new bridge was halted for a period during the early hours of Wednesday, but later, vehicles, except for heavy ones, were permitted to pass through, as stated by the Karwar police.
