Five dead, hundreds injured as delayed NH 66 bridge work raises safety concerns

At least five people have died and hundreds have been injured since a 60-year-old bridge over the Souparnika river on National Highway 66 was closed for rehabilitation, forcing bi-directional traffic onto the new bridge at Arate between Kundapur and Trasi in Udupi district, Karnataka. The old bridge, built in 1966, was closed on November 27, 2024, after a technical report by infrastructure firm M/s Assystem India Ltd. found it unsafe for the public, Udupi Deputy Commissioner K. Vidyakumari said.

NH 66, earlier known as NH 17, is a key coastal highway connecting Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu with Panvel in Maharashtra. The Souparnika bridge is a crucial link for communities along the Kundapur–Trasi stretch, and its closure has channeled all traffic — including buses, trucks and two-wheelers — onto the new bridge. The bridge is used by a large number of buses, trucks and private vehicles, and its closure has put additional pressure on the new structure.

Road users and local residents have criticised the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for the slow pace of the old bridge’s rehabilitation. They say work to replace the superstructure has progressed slowly, with few workers and machinery deployed. Vinayak Nayak, a resident of Kundapur, said the authority has remained a mute spectator to the delay over the last two years. The old bridge has 18 spans of 33.9 metres each, with a total length of about 610 metres. The rehabilitation involves replacing the entire superstructure, including bearings — a task NHAI officials describe as almost like new construction.

Safety concerns have also mounted at the diversion points. Residents say the diversion spots at both ends of the new bridge are located after steep curves and lack adequate signage. Sadashiva Kharvi, a resident of Trasi, said drivers unfamiliar with the stretch can get confused while taking the diversion. He cited the example of a motorcyclist who died after colliding with a tanker on the bridge in December 2024.

On Sunday, two buses — a stage carriage travelling from Kundapur towards Byndoor and a tourist bus — collided just ahead of the beginning of the new bridge. As many as 26 passengers were injured, three of them critically. On Monday, a scooterist died in a head-on collision with a car at the same spot. These incidents add to the fatalities and injuries reported since the old bridge was closed.

NHAI Karnataka regional chief V.P. Brahmankar said the authority has issued notices to concessionaire M/s IRB Westcoast Tollway Pvt. Ltd. to expedite the work. He said barriers on the new bridge would be installed within a day, while street lighting and speed breakers would be provided within a week. The authority was closely monitoring the work to ensure its speedy completion, he added.

The accidents have focused attention on the safety of diversions and the need for timely completion of the old bridge’s rehabilitation. For daily commuters and residents along the Kundapur–Trasi stretch, the longer the work drags on, the greater the risk on the new bridge, which is now carrying traffic in both directions. Local residents have demanded that the NHAI and the concessionaire take immediate steps to improve signage, lighting and traffic management at the diversion points. They have also sought a review of the traffic arrangements until the old bridge is reopened.