Iron height barrier falls on car at Gurugram underpass

The left side of the vehicle was badly damaged, with the front glass broken and deep dents on the roof of the car. Singh managed to escape and did not suffer any injuries, police said.

An iron heigh barrier fell and crashed on a car at Garhi Harsaru railway underpass on Sunday morning, severely damaging the vehicle, police said, adding that the driver escaped unhurt.

GRP officials said the damages would be paid for and that the vehicle would be repaired at the railway’s expense. (HT PHOTO)

Shyaamveer Singh, director of a private school in the city, is a resident of the Railway Colony in Gurugram. According to police, Singh had dropped his wife at Basai bus stand at around 10am on Sunday and was driving towards the Railway Colony when the barrier fell on to the left side roof of the car.

The left side of the vehicle was badly damaged, with the front glass broken and deep dents on the roof of the car. Singh managed to escape and did not suffer any injuries, police said.

He told the Government Railway Police (GRP) that his wife had got out of the car only minutes earlier.

GRP officials said they reached the spot after Singh reported the incident and examined the barrier. Police said their preliminary probe suggested a heavy vehicle travelling ahead of Singh’s car had likely hit the barrier because of its height, causing it to fall onto the vehicle coming from behind.

However, GRP said they are examining the exact cause of the fall.

The barrier, installed as part of the railway’s underpass project to restrict the entry of oversized vehicles, had not been properly secured, according to the inspection. Further, Singh alleged there was no welding on the structure and that it had not been secured with nuts and bolts.

GRP also inspected the site and admitted that the structure had just been placed at the underpass and was not secured.

There has been no FIR in the matter so far. Singh’s immediate demand was that the cost of repairing his damaged car be borne by the railways. GRP officials said the damages would be paid for and that the vehicle would be repaired at the railway’s expense.