Four injured as multiple vehicles collide near Bengaluru's Chandapura bridge on NH-44 after wrong-way entry

Bengaluru: Traffic on the busy Bengaluru-Hosur National Highway (NH-44) was thrown into disarray on Friday morning after a serial collision involving a BMTC bus, a lorry and two cars near the Hale Chandapura railway bridge.

The accident, which occurred around 7.30 am, left four people with minor injuries, including a young child. While the vehicles sustained extensive damage, with one car overturning and being dragged several meters by the lorry, police stated that the vehicles were slow-moving, which prevented a larger tragedy.

According to Surya City Police, the pile-up was triggered when two cars, travelling from the Hale Chandapura side, allegedly entered the highway from the wrong direction. The motorists were reportedly attempting to bypass the heavy congestion caused by ongoing highway expansion work.

As the cars moved against the flow of traffic, they collided head-on with a truck. The impact caused one car to be wedged beneath the lorry, while a BMTC bus following behind was unable to brake in time, resulting in a chain reaction.

The incident sparked fury among locals and commuters, who criticised the authorities for their perceived negligence. “This spot has become a death trap due to the ongoing construction and poor planning,” a frustrated resident said.

A senior police officer, however, noted that the vehicles were moving at a speed of approximately 5 to 6 km/h due to the bottleneck at the railway bridge, which mitigated the severity of the injuries.

The mangled remains of the cars had to be cleared using a crane, during which time traffic on the Hosur main road was jammed. Office-goers and students were the worst hit, with many stuck in the gridlock for over an hour.

The Surya City Police have registered a case against the lorry driver.