Bhagalpur: A two-hour traffic standstill gripped the Vikramshila bridge on Wednesday morning, after multiple vehicles broke down due to chaotic overtaking and congestion on the narrow stretch.
The gridlock, which began around 8am and continued until 10am, was triggered when several vehicles lost technical balance while attempting to overtake, leading to mechanical failures at multiple points, including near pillar number 117. The stalled vehicles brought traffic to a halt in both directions.
According to Prabhakar Kumar, traffic in-charge at the site, vehicles broke down at three separate locations simultaneously on the bridge. “The overtaking pressure on the one-way lane proved too much. This caused traffic to bottle up quickly,” he said. The Vikramshila traffic police responded by deploying cranes to remove the disabled vehicles.
The situation deteriorated further when two buses collided near the Vaibhav Hotel approach on the Navgachiya side. The ripple effect extended far beyond the bridge, with congestion reported from Jam Bridge to Zero Mile, as well as on the Sabour and Urban Alternative Bypass routes.
Elsewhere in the city, traffic snarls were also witnessed during school closing hours in key areas such as Tilkamanjhi, Barari Road, Dixon Mor, Tatarpur and Station Chauraha. Near Mount Carmel School, traffic remained paralysed for nearly 30 minutes.
Several ambulances were caught in the congestion, but were swiftly escorted out by the traffic regulation team, ensuring patients reached hospital in time. Authorities attributed the sudden increase in road users to post-rain activity, which flooded the streets with vehicles and pedestrians alike.
