Truck Collides with Under-construction FOB at Mehdipatnam

Hyderabad: A container truck collided with an under-construction foot-overbridge (FOB) at Mehdipatnam in Hyderabad in the early hours of Tuesday. The truck slammed into the lower part of the bridge, damaging the structure and raising concerns over safety and planning at the busy Mehdipatnam junction.

The incident occurred at about 5 am on Tuesday, when the truck attempted to pass beneath the structure and struck its lower section. No injuries or casualties were reported. However, the accident caused disruption in traffic for some time in the early hours of Tuesday.

The bridge is an HMDA project aimed at improving pedestrian safety in Mehdipatnam. The area sees heavy movement of buses, trucks, and other vehicles throughout the day. Additionally, Mehdipatnam’s bus stop adds more importance to the FOB.

The bridge is being constructed at Pillars 13 and 14 of the PVNR Expressway, which connects the existing foot overbridge on one side of the road with a new elevated pathway on the other.

Following the incident, several commuters and residents expressed concern over the apparent lack of adequate height for heavy vehicles. Sarfaraz Khan, a resident of Tolichowki, said: “They have a height indicator for a 40-metre vehicle, but I don't think the truck driver was able to see the marker in the night.”

"Heavy vehicles tend to drive on the right side of the road, and the bridge being lower on that side is a recipe for disaster. What if an accident of this sort happens again, when there are people on the bridge? They should make some changes before opening the bridge," he said.