Serpentine bridge in Bhopal under scanner for poor design, dangerous position of dividers
Bhopal: A railway overbridge (ROB) designed in the shape of a snake at Subhash Nagar in the city is under scrutiny for its shape as well as the poorly positioned dividers.
This is the second structure in Bhopal that has drawn criticism for its poor design. A couple of weeks ago, authorities concerned were severely criticised for the construction of a bridge in Aishbagh with a 90-degree turn, reports India Today.
The ROB, which was planned to be a link between Maida Mill and Prabhat petrol bunk, has been constructed at a cost of Rs 40 crore and was opened for public use two years ago. Although it has eased traffic congestion in Subhash Nagar, the cases of accidents related to the dividers on the stretch have given rise to questions on the flaws in the design. The serpentine structure and the poor positioning and low height of the dividers have made it difficult for drivers to manoeuvre their vehicles on the stretch.
The vehicle drivers are learned to have lost control while negotiating the sharp turns while in one case, the car hit a road divider and overturned. A school van was damaged in another accident, after hitting the divider.
Structural engineer and bridge expert Prakhar Pagaria has expressed serious concern over the design, stating that serpentine bridges are inherently risky. He also said that such designs should be used only in case of space constraints that leave no alternative.
Although no fatality was reported during the accidents, the recurring accidents have given rise to worry about risk of lives being lost while traveling on the bridge. The need for the government as well as the civic authorities to review the bridge and take corrective measures by assessing its design is considered urgent.
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Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
