Bad News: Cracks in Lalghati flyover, closed for traffic

All vehicular traffic has been closed for public on Lalghati flyover on Tuesday afternoon after it developed crack due to incessant rains which damaged the Retaining (RE) wall of the bridge at Data Nagar (Lalghati). With the shutdown of the arterial flyover which connects VIP road (Lalghati side) to airport road of the city, commuters had a tough time.

Besides, locals said that such kind of incident created fear in their mind regarding collapse of bridge and also raised question on quality of the construction. The Lalghati flyover, which is being executed by National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), is still under construction and is a part of a larger project, including the Singarcholi railway overbridge (ROB) and five underpasses up to Mubarakpur Junction.

Retaining (RE) Wall is falling from Airport flyover which is being constructed by National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) at Data Colony, Lalghati. In rain, rainy water started flowing through Flyover Bridge damaging the Retaining wall in the long stretches of the bridge. It triggered panic among local residents who raised the issue and consequently, flyover has been banned for traffic from afternoon. Local residents raised the alarms and informed the administration.

NHAI has disallowed the traffic from noon. Urging people not to panic, SDM (Bairagarh) Manoj Verma said, “The trouble point has been identified, and will be repaired. Till the repair work is completed, traffic police have shut the flyover for vehicular movement. We will look into matter after having talks with NHAI executives who are monitoring the construction.” Additional Superintendent of Police (traffic) Pradeep Chauhan said, “Traffic has been banned over Airport flyover after excessive rain which damaged the bridge and this decision has been taken for safety point of view. It will be opened for traffic after NHAI finish the damaged parts.”