Gas leakage disrupts traffic

Traffic on Udupi-Baindoor National Highway 66 was disrupted for seven hours, on Friday, following leakage in a LPG bullet tanker, at Sasthana.

The tanker was bound to Belgaum from Mangalore. The leakage was detected in the wee hours of Friday.

Traffic was diverted from 10 am till 5 pm after the officials from the oil marketing company requested the police to ban traffic to facilitate shifting of LPG into another tanker.The leakage was due to the defective valve of the tanker. Following the diversion, all the vehicles plied via Barkur-Sayibrakatte-Kota before joining the highway. A few vehicles were diverted via Kodi Kanyaya.

Commuters from Sasthana, Chempi, Mabukala, Gundmi were put to hardship following the diversion.

As a precautionary measures, electricity supply was disconnected and people were requested to switch off their mobile phones.

Holiday was declared for Gundmi Government Primary and High School. Even the houses in and around Sasthana were asked not to light cooking stoves. Fire personnel constantly sprayed water on the tanker to dissipate the gas.