Maruti Dzire Stuck Between Pillars Of Under-Construction Flyover: Driver Rescued [Video]
Highway construction and expansion projects are live in many parts of India. In the recent past, we also came across several accidents on these under-construction highways and nearby areas. The latest incident is from Kerala, where a Maruti Dzire fell off an under-construction patch of the elevated highway and got stuck between its pillars. The driver, however, had a miraculous escape.
What Really Happened?
This accident happened in Kannur’s Chala bypass. The construction of the new elevated highway is now ongoing in this area. Traffic on the old national highway 66 is regulated with multiple diversions and restrictions due to the ongoing road work.
The unfortunate incident took place at around 5:30 pm on Sunday (November 16th). Lasim, a resident of Kondotty in Malappuram, was coming from the Thalassery side on the highway in his White Maruti Dzire. The car entered an elevated patch of the road, entry to which was restricted due to the construction work, and continued to drive with a decent speed.
The elevated stretch was unfinished, and the car driver failed to notice the road’s end. The car soon fell off the elevated section! It, however, got stuck between the elevated section and the pillars of the adjacent patch that is still under construction. It was seen in a fully upside-down state, supported by the pillars.
The driver was trapped inside. People from around rushed to help him. This accident occurred near the ‘Temple stop’ (’Ambalam stop’). The elevated patch from which the car fell is quite high. In the rescue videos, we can see it stuck at a good height. The police and fire forces were soon informed about the development.
The rescue team sourced a metal ladder from the nearby temple to get the driver out. The driver in this case, was reportedly drunk at the time of this accident. Rescuers had to work hard to get him to the ground safely. Intoxicated driving seems to have caused the accident, as he failed to notice the restrictions and drove on the ‘closed’ or ‘restricted’ patch, eventually ending up in the mishap.
Edakkad police later took the driver into custody. After trying for about 20 minutes, the car was finally recovered with the help of a crane. Its roof and underbody seem to have taken damage. The pillars did not collapse inward, and this kept the driver safe. He sustained minor injuries and was later given proper medical care in a nearby hospital.
Another Incident: One Killed As Girder Falls On Pickup Van
Image source: Suresh Alleppey | The Hindu
Last week, a 44-year-old man died after a concrete girder from the under-construction elevated highway fell on top of his pickup van. This accident occurred in Alappuzha, Kerala, at around 2:30 am. The girder was lifted and placed on a hydraulic fork. It then skidded, causing the massive concrete structure to fall onto the pickup van, which was passing below it. A technical issue with the jack used for installing these giant girders is said to have caused the accident.
Due to its massive proportions, it took the rescue team atleast four hours to lift the girder and recover the body of the deceased. Locals told the police that the construction workers fled the scene soon after the accident, ghosting cranes and other heavy-lifting equipment. This, in fact, delayed rescue operations further.
The accident caused severe congestion of the highway, the impact of which did not escalate beyond a point since it was 2:30 in the morning. Vehicles stuck here later took the Poochakal-Aroor alternate route. Alappuzha District Collector Alex Varghese has sought a detailed report from Ashoka Builders, the company that’s undertaking construction work on this patch.