Nagpur: In a turn of events that borders on irony, the newly-installed height barrier at the Shaheed Gowari Flyover in Sitabuldi met a premature crash test — courtesy of a Reliance petrol tanker just a day after its installation.
The barrier, erected late Monday night with much caution and hope, was rammed on Tuesday by the massive fuel-laden vehicle carrying around 23,000 litres of petrol, triggering a tense moment for authorities. Two fire tenders rushed to the scene fearing a potential disaster, but fortunately, no leakage or fire was reported.
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07 july 2025
This isn’t the barrier’s first brush with doom — or more accurately, it’s not the first barrier at this location to suffer such a fate. Previous attempts to erect similar structures had ended in chaos, with heavy trucks managing to crush them within hours. In what feels like déjà vu, history repeated itself — but this time, the stakes were higher with a fuel-filled tanker involved.
Determined not to let the past repeat, the Public Works Department (PWD) had taken extra precautions this time around. Rumble strips were laid on the approach road to slow down vehicles and serve as a tactile warning. The height barrier itself, officials insisted, was installed with proper foundational work and due diligence.
“We followed all protocols and ensured a strong installation this time,” said Avinash Gund, Branch Engineer from the PWD’s World Bank Division. “This is aimed at keeping heavy vehicles off the flyover, ensuring its longevity and smoother traffic flow.”
Ironically, the very vehicle the barrier was meant to stop — a towering fuel tanker — turned out to be its first and most dangerous challenger. While the flyover survived unscathed, the incident has raised fresh questions about the awareness of commercial drivers and the need for clearer signage.
Whether the barrier’s third time proves to be a charm or yet another chapter in this ongoing saga of “barrier vs. behemoth” remains to be seen.
