Nagpur: The very next day after the complex Pardi flyover became fully operational, a huge chunk of concrete weighing around 8kg fell on a moving SUV below, completely smashing its roof and windscreen, even as two-wheeler drivers passing by thanked their stars. The driver of the SUV escaped with minor injuries, but the incident prompted authorities to close both the newly opened arms — Manewada and Central Avenue sides — within 24 hours of opening.
On Thursday, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), which built the five-armed flyover, opened it from Manewada and Central Avenue directions. The concrete lump fell from the spans joining the two newly opened arms near Prajapati Square.
“It was indeed fortunate that the concrete chunk did not fall on a two-wheeler rider or pedestrian. It would have resulted in a fatal accident or left the victim seriously injured,” said a police officer who rushed to the spot.
NHAI officials said the piece that fell was ‘loose concrete’ that remained stuck to the expansion joint between the two spans. Once the spans are joined with concrete, the residual material on the sides has to be cleaned. The cleaning was not done before the flyover was opened for traffic on Thursday.
Since it remained loosely stuck, the concrete fell due to the vibration of vehicles plying on it, said NHAI officials. They ruled out any structural defect in the flyover, which is dubbed among the most complicated designs in the country.
The incident led to the police department directing NHAI officials to close both arms of the flyover for both side traffic to avoid any further incidents.
The SUV driver, Vishesh Shrivastav, in his 20s, was driving towards Wathoda when the concrete fell on the roof when he was about to take a turn. It left him dazed.
Wathoda police rushed to the spot and stopped traffic below the flyover. “We asked the contractor to remove the plaster which fell from the Manewada arm joint. Currently, we have closed off the flyover for both sides on Manewada arm and barricaded the road below, where the excess plaster is being removed now,” said Senior PI of Wathoda police station Harish Borde. After the police barricaded the road below, another small piece of concrete fell later, said a cop.
Till the filing of the report, police had not registered any complaint in the incident.
NHAI had allotted the contract to a joint venture between Gannon Dunkerly and Nagpur’s SMS Limited. Sources said the company received a show-cause notice seeking why action, including debarment, should not be taken against it. The concerned officer of NHAI who conducted the inspection has also been served the notice.
Meanwhile, it is learnt through independent sources that the flyover was not thoroughly tested for heavy traffic before opening it on account of public pressure. However, NHAI officials said the testing has concluded, only after which it was opened.
The locals vented their ire on NHAI, saying that they have run out of patience due to the traffic mess. However, their hopes about the end of traffic snarls came crashing down with a concrete chunk falling down. Now they are concerned about the safety and quality of the flyover while traffic issues would continue as the two arms have been shut again.
Since work began for the five-arm Pardi Flyover, also dubbed as Khedkda flyover for its unique structure, it has faced multiple issues, including missing deadlines. Earlier, on October 19, 2021, a big portion of the under-construction Pardi flyover had collapsed. Several girders between two columns near Bharat Nagar Square collapsed. Luckily, no casualties were reported in the incident. Also, last month, the slab of NHAI’s Butibori flyover caved in within three-and-a-half years of opening.
Box:
* Nicknamed Kekda (crab) due to its complex five-arm structure, work on Pardi flyover began in 2016
* Concrete chunk fell on moving car on Friday
* Sources said flyover not thoroughly tested for heavy traffic before opening it due to public pressure, but NHAI denied it
* On October 19, 2021, a part of bridge had collapsed, delaying works
* Contract to build 7km bridge with joint venture between Gannon Dunkerly and SMS Limited
* NHAI sources said company was debarred temporarily from taking further contracts
* Company continued building the Pardi flyover
* Sources said company also rebuilt fallen part at its own expenditure
* First three arms on Itwari, Kalamna, and Bhandara sides opened in September 2023
* Arms from Manewada and Central Avenue sides were opened from Thursday
* Initial cost Rs448 crore escalated to over Rs600 crore
On Thursday, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), which built the five-armed flyover, opened it from Manewada and Central Avenue directions. The concrete lump fell from the spans joining the two newly opened arms near Prajapati Square.
“It was indeed fortunate that the concrete chunk did not fall on a two-wheeler rider or pedestrian. It would have resulted in a fatal accident or left the victim seriously injured,” said a police officer who rushed to the spot.
NHAI officials said the piece that fell was ‘loose concrete’ that remained stuck to the expansion joint between the two spans. Once the spans are joined with concrete, the residual material on the sides has to be cleaned. The cleaning was not done before the flyover was opened for traffic on Thursday.
Since it remained loosely stuck, the concrete fell due to the vibration of vehicles plying on it, said NHAI officials. They ruled out any structural defect in the flyover, which is dubbed among the most complicated designs in the country.
The incident led to the police department directing NHAI officials to close both arms of the flyover for both side traffic to avoid any further incidents.
The SUV driver, Vishesh Shrivastav, in his 20s, was driving towards Wathoda when the concrete fell on the roof when he was about to take a turn. It left him dazed.
Wathoda police rushed to the spot and stopped traffic below the flyover. “We asked the contractor to remove the plaster which fell from the Manewada arm joint. Currently, we have closed off the flyover for both sides on Manewada arm and barricaded the road below, where the excess plaster is being removed now,” said Senior PI of Wathoda police station Harish Borde. After the police barricaded the road below, another small piece of concrete fell later, said a cop.
Till the filing of the report, police had not registered any complaint in the incident.
NHAI had allotted the contract to a joint venture between Gannon Dunkerly and Nagpur’s SMS Limited. Sources said the company received a show-cause notice seeking why action, including debarment, should not be taken against it. The concerned officer of NHAI who conducted the inspection has also been served the notice.
Meanwhile, it is learnt through independent sources that the flyover was not thoroughly tested for heavy traffic before opening it on account of public pressure. However, NHAI officials said the testing has concluded, only after which it was opened.
The locals vented their ire on NHAI, saying that they have run out of patience due to the traffic mess. However, their hopes about the end of traffic snarls came crashing down with a concrete chunk falling down. Now they are concerned about the safety and quality of the flyover while traffic issues would continue as the two arms have been shut again.
Since work began for the five-arm Pardi Flyover, also dubbed as Khedkda flyover for its unique structure, it has faced multiple issues, including missing deadlines. Earlier, on October 19, 2021, a big portion of the under-construction Pardi flyover had collapsed. Several girders between two columns near Bharat Nagar Square collapsed. Luckily, no casualties were reported in the incident. Also, last month, the slab of NHAI’s Butibori flyover caved in within three-and-a-half years of opening.
Box:
* Nicknamed Kekda (crab) due to its complex five-arm structure, work on Pardi flyover began in 2016
* Concrete chunk fell on moving car on Friday
* Sources said flyover not thoroughly tested for heavy traffic before opening it due to public pressure, but NHAI denied it
* On October 19, 2021, a part of bridge had collapsed, delaying works
* Contract to build 7km bridge with joint venture between Gannon Dunkerly and SMS Limited
* NHAI sources said company was debarred temporarily from taking further contracts
* Company continued building the Pardi flyover
* Sources said company also rebuilt fallen part at its own expenditure
* First three arms on Itwari, Kalamna, and Bhandara sides opened in September 2023
* Arms from Manewada and Central Avenue sides were opened from Thursday
* Initial cost Rs448 crore escalated to over Rs600 crore
