Panjim-Porvorim traffic thrown off gear for four hours
PORVORIM, JAN 5
Six vehicles were damaged in a freak mishap on the Mandovi Bridge on Wednesday evening, causing a massive traffic jam in Porvorim and Panjim for nearly four hours.
No one was injured seriously in the accident, which was triggered off when a stone-laden truck (GDY-4063) turned turtle near Mandovi Bridge.
According to Porvorim Police, the mishap occurred when the truck was proceeding from Mapusa towards Panjim along the Mandovi Bridge.
The brakes reportedly failed and the truck driver lost the control over the vehicle. The truck dashed against a Wagon R (GA-08-U-5150) and then against an Innova car (GA-03-T-9060), which were also proceeding towards Panjim ahead of the truck.
Thereafter, three vehicles – a Santro car (GA-07-C-1720), Bolero jeep (GA-07-F-0875) and Hero Honda motorcycle (GA-07-H-0397) – which was trailing the truck, dashed the truck and the Innova and Wagon R cars.
The Innova as well as the Wagon R car was badly damaged, while the other vehicles and the motorcycle suffered partial damages.
Due to the mishap, traffic proceeding towards Panjim during the peak hours came to a grinding halt.
A huge queue of vehicles proceeding towards Panjim had reached till the O’Coqueiro Junction.
A 108 Ambulance, however, managed to pass through the traffic jam at Porvorim after it was escorted by a police jeep.
Traffic was also disrupted in Panjim, as huge queues of vehicles were seen along all major roads near the KTC bus stand.
Porvorim police rushed to the spot and with the help of crane removed the damaged vehicles and also the laterite stones strewn all over the road.
Police had a tough time in controlling the traffic. In the process, some passengers travelling by buses missed their connecting last buses leaving from Kadamba bus stand at Panjim.
Porvorim Police have registered the case against truck driver Damodar Naik for rash and negligent driving.
Hawaldar Ramchandra Sawant is investigating the case.
