Truck rams into railway overbridge barricade on NH-26 in Koraput, triggers massive traffic snarl

Vehicular movement along National Highway-26 through Koraput came to a standstill early Friday morning after a truck rammed into the barricade of a railway overbridge near the Mining Office in the town, causing the iron structure to collapse onto the road.

The incident led to a severe traffic jam stretching several kilometres, affecting both inbound and outbound routes along the major highway.

Collapse During Early Hours

According to reports, the accident occurred at around 4 am when a truck travelling on the Koraput stretch lost control and struck the barricade installed near the overbridge. The impact caused the iron wall of the barricade to cave in, scattering metal debris across the highway.

Fortunately, no casualties were reported at the time of filing this report.

Traffic At A Standstill

According to reports, the collapse has led to a complete disruption of traffic movement on the route, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded on both sides.

Buses returning from Visakhapatnam, Bhubaneswar, and Berhampur have been stuck in the gridlock since early morning. Local commuters and long-distance travellers faced major inconvenience as vehicles remained stationary for several hours.

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Clearance Operations Underway

Sources added that fire services personnel had reached the spot and launched clearing operations to remove the twisted iron structures and restore normal traffic. Police and local administration teams have also been deployed to manage the situation and divert vehicles through alternative routes where possible.

By morning, the jam extended several kilometres on both sides of the highway. With passenger buses, trucks, and private vehicles trapped in the snarl, transport services between southern Odisha and neighbouring Andhra Pradesh have been affected.

The exact cause of the truck’s loss of control is yet to be determined. Police have initiated an investigation to determine whether driver fatigue, brake failure, or poor visibility contributed to the incident.