CHENNAI: A 30-year-old two-wheeler rider was critically injured in Chennai on Sunday when a signboard installed on GST Road crashed on him after an MTC bus rammed and dislodged one of the steel poles on which the board was mounted. The accident took place near Alandur Metro Station and Kathipara Flyover. The victim, identified as Shanmugasundaram of Pudukkottai, has been admitted to Government Royapettah Hospital, sources said.
According to police, around 3pm on Sunday, the bus (route No. 70V) bound for Koyambedu from Tambaram rammed the steel pole at Asarkana bus stop opposite Alandur Metro Station. Bus driver Raghunathan and conductor Chellayyan fled the spot, sources said.
According to preliminary investigation, the driver lost control of the vehicle while navigating a curve and crashed into the pole, police said. The driver surrendered before police later in the evening. The huge signboard covering both lanes of the road was mounted on three poles one each on two ends of the road and one on the road median.
When it came crashing down in the impact of the accident, a two-wheeler and a mini truck, were caught under it. While Shanmugasundaram, who was driving the two-wheeler, sustained severe head injuries, John Peter, driver of the mini truck, suffered minor injuries. Police said Peter was later discharged from Royapettah Hospital after treatment. Another two-wheeler parked on the roadside was also damaged.
The windscreen of the MTC bus was severely damaged but passengers had a narrow escape, police said. An eyewitness said, “As it was a Sunday afternoon, the traffic was less. On a weekday, there would have been heavy traffic and since it was around 3pm, there would have been many schoolchildren on the road.”
“When the bus hit the post, the metal bolts holding the posts to the base gave away and the signboard crashed on the vehicles,” a police source said.
Traffic was disrupted in the area for nearly two hours due to the accident. A case was registered by the Mount Traffic Investigation Wing police and an investigation is on.