Daijiworld Media Network – Puttur (SP)
Puttur, Jul 4: The monsoon, which is still in its early stages as early rains were followed with a dry spell of about three weeks, has started inflicting damages on the Shiradi Ghat stretch of national highway 75 between Mangalore and Bangalore. Even as vehicles are weathering this problem on a stretch that is awaiting major overhaul, a LPG tanker fell across the highway on the morning of Thursday July 3, and resulted in closure of the road for about 15 hours till 8 pm.
A bullet tanker that was carrying gas to Bangalore from Mangalore hit a roadside electric pole and overturned at Bedrody in Bajathur village in the early hours on Thursday. The driver and cleaner of the tanker, who escaped without any injuries, observed that gas had started leaking from the fallen tanker, took steps to stop the leakage by closing the neck cap. This averted the accident from turning grave, it is said.
Fire brigade from Puttur took up the task of creating a safety zone around the accident site by blocking traffic, keeping fire tenders in readiness for any eventuality, and advising houses located in the vicinity not to use electric switches and statying away from igniting any fire till the tanker is removed.
Puttur rural police circle inspector, B Suresh Kumar, city station police inspector, B K Manjaiah, Uppinangady police sub-inspector, K Shivakumar, and traffic police personnel from Puttur came to the spot and made arrangements for diverting the traffic and easing the situation. Vehicles coming from Bangalore were diverted via Gundia-Kadaba route, while those going towards Hassan were sent through Periyadka-Nelyady route.
Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd, which was informed about the accident, took time to send an empty tanker to the spot. Vehicles started moving again after the task of transferring gas to the empty tanker was completed at around 8 pm.