Bridge collapses near Karwar in Karnataka’s Uttara Kannada district; driver rescued

A bridge over the river Kali connecting Karnataka and Goa collapsed in the early hours of Wednesday. A lorry that was on the bridge when it collapsed at 1.30 am fell into the river and the driver was rescued.

The driver Balamurugan, who hails from Tamil Nadu, stood on the cabin of the lorry and called for help. Local fishermen who heard him informed rescue services. He was taken to a hospital and is recovering.

The bridge across the Kali, which is part of the National Highway 66 connecting Goa and Karnataka, was built in the 1980s. A new bridge has been built next to the old one and one lane was opened to traffic. The two bridges would have been one-way.

However, the new bridge has now been closed for traffic on the orders of the Uttara Kannada Deputy Commissioner. The DC has directed the National Highways Authority of India to inspect the new bridge and submit a report regarding its stability by 12 pm on August 7.

With the bridge over the river Kali closed to traffic, vehicles will have to take a 50km detour to reach Goa. 

The incident comes as Uttara Kannada district continues to recover from recent landslides and rain related damage.