Bangalore metro barricade falls, lands on auto

Three autorickshaw commuters were injured at Konankunte Cross on Kanankpura Road when a metro barricade fell on them.

The incident happened early on Thursday.

The auto driver and two passengers suffered minor injuries, and those passing by rushed to help.

Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL) said they had ordered an investigation. “It is not clear whether the barricade fell on the autorickshaw or the incident happened after the vehicle hit the barricade,” said a BMRCL spokesperson.

However, no police case has been registered. The injured people immediately left the spot without lodging any complaint with the police. This is taken as evidence that the driver might have been at fault. Commuters rode away in the very vehicle that had been involved in the incident.

This is not the first time that such an incident has happened. On November 30, 2010, three men on two motorcycles were injured when a barricade fell on them on West of Chord Road on Reach 3 near Yeshwantpur. It was found that the barricades were not pinned to the ground properly, and were  left standing without support.

On March 17, 2010, three men were injured when four barricades crashed on them near Chandra Layout construction site. On September 23, 2010, a huge concrete slab fell on Tumkur Road. It was fortunate that no one sustained injuries. Two cranes at Yeshwantpur crashed on an SUV on August 28, 2010; the eight people inside, however, escaped unhurt.

Safety at the metro sites has been questioned, and has raised eyebrows each time a mishap has occurred.