Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur

Kundapur, Aug 19: Six people, including children, sustained injuries when a KSRTC bus and a lorry collided head-on near the newly constructed Arate bridge on National Highway 66 between Kundapur and Byndoor on Monday evening.

The bus, which was heading towards Byndoor, had just reached the bridge when it was hit by a speeding lorry coming from the opposite direction. Passengers identified as Rihana (37), Khuraisha (36), Shamin (40), and Asifiya (21) were injured and admitted to a private hospital in Kundapur. Two others, Nisha (20) and Ashrita (20), suffered minor injuries and were discharged after treatment.

Local vehicle drivers, along with Ibrahim, driver of the 24x7 Gangolli ambulance, assisted police in shifting the injured to the hospital. Gangolli SI Pavan Nayak and local drivers worked to regulate traffic and ensure smooth movement of vehicles.

The old bridge at Arate was closed last November after being declared unsafe, and all traffic was diverted to the new bridge. Since then, the spot has witnessed frequent accidents, with two fatalities and several injuries already reported.

Authorities had attempted to reduce accidents by dividing the new bridge and installing caution cones, but these have worn out as vehicles continued to run over them. Despite the closure of the old bridge for the past nine months, repair work has not yet been undertaken, raising concerns among the public. Local media have repeatedly highlighted the dangers in this stretch.